


Traitor

by Skye_Willows, Stujet9rainshine



Category: Detroit: Become Human (Video Game)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Human, Alternate Universe - Royalty, Angst with a Happy Ending, Cross-Kingdom Romance, Fluff and Angst, Fluff and Smut, Graphic Description of Injuries, Graphic Physical and Mental Abuse, Heavy Angst, Implied/Referenced Character Death, Implied/Referenced Child Abuse, M/M, Presumed/Assumed Character Death, Prince!Nines, Slave!Gavin, Slavery, Torture
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-11-18
Updated: 2021-01-23
Packaged: 2021-01-31 10:43:55
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 35
Words: 149,285
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21444934
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Skye_Willows/pseuds/Skye_Willows, https://archiveofourown.org/users/Stujet9rainshine/pseuds/Stujet9rainshine
Summary: Peace talks begin between two warring countries, and with it comes the chance meeting between King Connor's brother, Prince Richard 'Nines' Arkait, and King Elijah's personal slave, Gavin.An instant connection sparks, but with it comes a dangerous game of subterfuge, violence and trickery that could break not only them, but their kingdoms too.In a game of chess, a Queen is the most important player...but it's also the piece that is most capable of backstabbing their own King if their allegiance changes.
Relationships: Elijah Kamski/Chloe, Hank Anderson/Connor, Prior Captain Allen/CyberLife Tower Connor | RK800-60, Upgraded Connor | RK900/Gavin Reed
Comments: 77
Kudos: 156





	1. First Meeting

**Author's Note:**

> Hello everyone! So, this is actually something has been in the works for _months_, though it wasn't decided until recently to publish this fic on AO3. After writing the DPD kink off, several of us have been playing out various RPs on a server on Discord - which is where this fic was born. 
> 
> Stu had a vision, and I was lucky enough to be able to help them bring that vision to life. Only one specific scene of this fic was ever planned, and the result was an absolute **monstrosity** which grew almost out of the blue. 
> 
> So if you guys find the writing in this a little strange in how it keeps changing styles, that's because this is actually an RP which we're releasing for all of you guys to enjoy. In saying that, this story is packed with angst and is an emotional rollercoaster, so please be aware of that! This will get hellishly dark before it gets better.

News was spreading around the city of the peace agreement that would be negotiated soon. 

The war had been going on for a few years now. King Connor Arkait the Eighth was a kind and serious ruler, even with having inherited the throne in the beginnings of a grand conflict. But after all those years he swore to end the war and that is what he planned to do. The citizens doubted this sentiment and figured the war would continue for several more gruelling years. That was until the rival king and his posse arrived in a grand parade to the palace.

Prince Richard Arkait the Ninth, or Nines as anyone in the palace called him, was just as surprised as the citizens at the arrival of the foreign diplomats. He watched the progression from his balcony and hummed, wondering if Connor would really figure out this conflict. Nines seriously doubted it would an easy thing, but after a few minutes of watching it wasn't the flashy men and women that caught his eye. It was a simple man with a scar across his nose that kept Nines' rapt attention. He was the most handsome man the prince had ever laid eyes on.

Among King Elijah’s entourage was Gavin, one of the servants that the King was keen to keep close. Though he didn’t know it, Gavin had dangerous ties to Elijah that the King was keen to keep secret. Having manipulated Gavin’s entire life to keep him within arm’s reach, Elijah was reluctant to bring him along to such an event as this but was forced to do so. As such, he’d ended up bringing a far larger force than he’d intended.

The unfortunate product of an affair between Elijah's father and one of the seamstresses which worked for the queen, Elijah had learned about Gavin's existence upon his father deathbed. Unwilling to leave the threat of another blood heir to the throne of his kingdom, Elijah had carefully engineered a series of events so that when Gavin was 10, his mother was tried and convicted as a traitor. Having become one of the 'Nameless' at such a young age - all relatives of a traitor in Elijah's country were denied a last name, as a public symbol of their family's shame - Gavin had ended up a homeless orphan in Elijah's castle...and from there it had all spiralled.

Now, Gavin was not merely a servant to King Elijah, he was a slave. No freedoms, no belongings, no home. His life was completely at Elijah's control, and it was exactly as the king had intended it; these peace talks had thrown up a wrench that Elijah would rather have avoided. The last thing he wanted was to leave Gavin roaming free back in his kingdom, so Elijah had been left to improvise.

Gavin was brought under the assertion of being Elijah’s groom, but he was little more than an inconvenience. Elijah was intending to make sure his secret half-brother was kept as far from him as possible during the talks, though always under watch. After all, he couldn’t let someone with the power to ruin him be left with total freedom.

As they arrived, Gavin’s eyes flirted around the staring members of King Connor’s court, and for, not the first time, wondered why he was there. While having his perusal, it was then that Gavin noticed he was being watched. Stone cold eyes, dignified posture, and towering presence. Gavin turned away instantly, feeling burned and embarrassed by the stare.

He’d already caught attention, from Prince Richard himself no less.

Just fucking great. So much for keeping a low profile.

* * *

Nines had never been interested in royal or political affairs. He was the younger brother, the second in line, and woefully out of practice. Politics were rarely his business if he could help it - he talked, he travelled, he played the role of a prince, and of course, he would always be there for Connor. He'd be a royal and war advisor for the rest of his life, but he'd never be a King and he was more than fine with that. Nines knew a prince was all he was going to be and he used that to his advantage.

Like right now, he could very well be participating in the peace talks but the whole affair seemed rather drab. What's the point of the Head War Advisor attending a peace talk? Even more so when he noticed that King Elijah didn't have his handsome groom with him. So Nines, with all his princely elegance, snuck away. He'd wondered why King Elijah's highest-ranking servant wasn't dressed to the elegance of the rest of the court. It made him seem a bit out of place.

Naturally curious and wanting to see the servant's face up closer, Nines had made it a quest of his to find the man with the scar on his nose.

Meanwhile, Gavin was under strict instruction from Elijah. Keep his distance, keep a watchful eye of his surroundings and report back anything that seemed strange. What the fuck doesn't count as strange in a totally new country with customs so different from their own?

Still, getting to see it all was quite fascinating. He'd never had the chance to see anything beyond what Elijah let him - one of the joys of being owned by the man - so getting to examine all the different craftsmanships and interactions between the people made his heartache. King Connor was clearly a good ruler to his people.

If only he could have this freedom somehow. Who knew, maybe some way would become available during these talks?

Nah, Elijah would find a way around it. He was too shrewd, he wouldn't let King Connor get the upper hand in anything.

One thing he had picked up on was the idle chatter regarding Prince Richard's lack of participation in the peace talks. That struck Gavin as a little odd, given the importance of them. What could the Prince be up to? Was it really a good idea to go looking for him...?

As it turned out, Nines, thankfully, did not have to travel far to find King Elijah's servant. The man with a scar was staring in wonder at one of the more elegant paintings outside of the meeting halls, one that Nines himself had done. The servant's misty green eyes sparkled in wonder and a tiny smile graced his lips. Nines knew he had to approach the man and did so as casually as he could, knowing his power and status could very well be frightening. 

He had a million very angry butterflies in his stomach as he closed the distance. He couldn't believe he was actually doing this. Clearing his throat quietly, he finally spoke. "Hello." His voice was soft. "I was wondering what you thought of this painting? No one really takes the time to actually look at them much anymore." Painting was an easy enough topic for him.

Gavin jumped at the quiet intrusion to his privacy, but the minute he locked eyes with his company they quickly fell away again. Rule number one with royalty - never look them in the eye. Only an equal had that right. "Forgive me, Your Highness," Gavin bowed humbly, "I did not mean to intrude."

Nines felt his heart drop to his feet with the other’s eyes. He _ hated _ that, it made him feel so isolated when only a select few people outside his own family and staff would even consider looking him in the eyes. Ah, the wonders of being a prince. He tried to smile. "It's not a bother really. I was just hoping for some conversation. " He turned his gaze away from the man and back to the painting. "This piece is one of my favourites."

Hesitant at the friendly tone, Gavin was skittish as he turned back to the painting. "It is...inspiring," he replied honestly. "I feel invigorated just looking at it. Makes me think beyond the here and now, wonder what could be possible if there wasn't so much petty sh-stuff going on in the world." 

** _Fuck._ ** _ Idiot, idiot, idiot! _ He nearly swore and having that many thoughts aired was never good. That was definitely going to bite him in the ass. Having already dug enough of a hole for himself, Gavin bowed again. "Forgive me for spouting such nonsense at you, Your Highness. I will waste no more of your time." He turned to beat a hasty retreat in embarrassment. 

Nines felt a genuine smile spread as the man talked about the painting. Hearing about an outside perspective made it seem new to him again, but he then felt the smile fall from his face as he watched the smaller man flinch at his own words. He swallowed and quickly put his trained smile back on his face before anyone would even notice it had slipped.

Then a quick bow and an apology later, Nines felt as if he was going to be alone again. "Please, there's no reason to be sorry." He tried to make his voice sound casual as he replied. "Thank you for your personal insight. It was lovely to hear."

Acting his way was so out of the ordinary for him. Why was he so desperate that the servant stayed?

Gavin really didn’t want to leave, and when he heard Nines say ‘thank you’, it left him with a burst of energy. That...didn’t happen. He was sworn at, had objects hurled at him often enough and degraded regularly, but thanked? Unheard of. “May I ask a question, Prince Richard?” he queried quietly, knowing that he was overstepping boundaries, but the words were out now. His damned impulsive nature was going to get him on the wrong end of a nobleman’s sword one day, he was sure of it.

Nines was thrilled and he was sure he was beaming, "Of course, ask away." He felt a few more nerves bubble in his belly as he awaited the question.

“Are you...always so courteous to servants?” He was sure this was a mistake, but Gavin felt like he needed to know. Something about the Prince was rather disarming, and Gavin wasn’t sure what to make of it.

Nines felt his eyebrows raise a minuscule amount, an unexpected question. "I try to be courteous to everyone I meet." He looked away for a brief moment. It was the truth, many of his own servants knew him by his nickname and he only had them do the bare minimum that his time restraints prevented him from doing himself. He was raised better than that. "I see little need for the social hi..." Nines abruptly stopped speaking. Almost amazed at how much he had just run his mouth, "Pardon me."

Gavin regarded Nines in shock, it seemed the Prince was almost honest to a fault. He...liked that. It was such a shame that the man was royalty of a different country. Never mind the fact that Gavin didn’t have such a thing as freedom or the ability to choose. That fact kind of soured the interactions.

Still, Gavin bowed to him again. “Thank you for indulging my curiosity, Your Highness. It’s nice to know that even servants are treated well here.” He was tempted to say something about maybe that was something that could be taught in trade, but that was ludicrous. He would always be Elijah’s personal victim for the King’s amusement. He turned again, ready to leave, but a gentle voice stopped him briefly.

Nines knew the man was ready to leave, or worse, the prince was making him late to something. "I'm always happy to have a conversation, _ uh," _ he said quickly and he felt his face heat a bit, "I don't know your name."

Maybe this wasn’t a good idea, but it wasn’t exactly as if Gavin could lie without landing in trouble later. The Prince seemed all right anyway. “My name is Gavin,” he replied gently, finally lifting his eyes to look at Nines' own.

_ "Gavin," _ Nines said testing the name out slowly. "A lovely name, indeed." He giggled a bit as he placed his hand out in from of him for a handshake, "I'm Nines."

Gavin stared at the hand in shock, not really knowing what to do. Should he shake, should he not? He’d never been greeted like this before himself. So as not to offend the Prince, he took it tentatively. “Your Highness,” He bid farewell instead, knowing that he’d never use the nickname. As curious as he was about the origins. He quickly walked away, cheeks burning from the encounter.

Nines smiled to himself as he watched Gavin leave, not missing how his ears were a bit pink. He then pulled his hand to his chest and sighed. While not sure how to gauge that encounter, it had felt so real - more than most of the conversations people had with him. His heart burned with the need to learn more about the alluring Gavin.

However, for the moment, he had to return to his princely duties. Nines' eyes followed the back of the departing Gavin until the slave was gone, before he set off for whatever was required of him.


	2. Helping Hand

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Stu: You know Skye said this idea came to me in a vision and I want to say that this is both correct and not. I had a dream different three times and woke up at the same point every time and was like this is the most frustrating thing ever. Thus, the plot bunny that turned into this beast.
> 
> Just for a base level of understanding the style changes. I write Nines and Skye writes Gavin. The other characters? They switch between the two of us a lot, but that should help. :D
> 
> Anyway, I'm more than excited that we decided to share this with y'all... Enjoy!
> 
> **Skye: I'm jumping in just to give you guys a warning about something you see the aftermath of here, but is a major theme in this fic. Elijah is physically abusive of Gavin, and it gets pretty vicious. You don't see anything explicit this time...but it will get worse as time goes on. So please be aware if this triggers you!**

By the time the day closed, Gavin had explored much of the castle. Many King Connor's servants had spoken to him with glowing praise about both their ruler and the Prince. It made Gavin’s heart ache to hear how well treated they all were - if only he had been born here.

As it was, he had to return to Elijah to report what he has seen and learned. The encounter with Nines would not be mentioned, however. That felt like Gavin’s personal secret, and he was loathe to share it. He knew he’d be treasuring that small interaction for a long time. “Fuck, maybe he’ll be in a good mood and I won’t end up with some new bruises tonight...” he muttered to himself as he walked back, oblivious to the happenings on the other side of the castle.

Nines didn't like King Elijah. That was the main conclusion he'd come from the peace talks so far. The rival ruler was brash, narcissistic, and spoke in fucking riddles. Connor wasn't the most thrilled with the situation either. No one else could tell that other than Nines, and maybe their highest advisor Lady Amanda. 

He watched a nerve in Connor's neck jump as Elijah talked about peace offerings and territory he required. His tone was clearly terse, like he expected everything to go his way by the end of it. Nines left the meeting halls with a raging headache and the need to take a bath and sleep. But as he smiled a bit as he passed by the painting that he talked to Gavin in front of.

At least something good has come out of this so far.

* * *

Gavin was sitting by the small, private fish pond that he’d found on his first perusal of the castle, hissing as he unwound the poorly done bandage around his forearm. So much for thinking that being in a feeling country would make Elijah a bit more restrained.

He should have known that the King taking his own glassware was a bad sign. Still, he’d thought it would take longer than this to end up cut to ribbons - and he didn’t have Tina or Chris, his usual help, here with him. They were still back home, which meant he was all alone in trying to keep the bleeding contained. Gavin knew that if anyone spotted it, he’d be left with a lot more than just this: a better incentive to keep the evidence hidden. Still, trying to clean and bandage a large gash from broken glass down his forearm with not easy on his own. 

Snarling as he couldn’t get the bandages tight enough, he had to discard the first attempt at a dressing. His supplies weren’t infinite, so he was going to have to be more careful this time.

Nines had finished his bath and unfortunately found out he was not going to be able to get to sleep. His brain was far too awake to get settled in and his headache hadn’t faded. He groaned as he rolled out of bed and made quick work of changing his clothes into something he could wear outside. After finding a sketchbook of his, he decided to make his way towards the fish pond. He was agitated in a way only drawing could settle.

The walk was nice and quiet. He even managed to start on the outline of the face he was working on before he made it to where he could he the soft lapping of the water fountain in the pond. Nines looked up and let out a soft gasp and nearly dropped his book. Gavin was sitting at the edge of the water tightening a bloody bandage with his teeth. A serious gash was visible on his forearm was all Nines could see.

_ "Holy fuck." _ The clumsy slur fell from his mouth as he approached. "...Gavin? What happened?" He called out as he basically ran up the smaller man's side.

Jumping and losing all the progress he’d made in tightening the bandage, Gavin’s heart was racing as he looked up and saw the Prince there. _ Of all the people to see this, _ he thought. “I apologize, Your Highness,” he said through gritted teeth as he shifted. “I didn’t mean to get in the way. I’ll go somewhere else and leave you to your business.”

Nines blinked and shook his head. "Not happening," he said firmly as he went to his knees next to Gavin. He took a closer look at the gash. It was deep and fresh, not more than an hour old. It clearly wasn't from a blade, more likely an impromptu weapon of some sort. He held his hand out for Gavin's arm. "Let me see, please. There's no way you're going to get a tight enough wrap with only one hand."

Gavin hesitated but knew he could use the help. The Prince was absolutely the worst man to help in case he started asking more questions, but he didn't have the confidence to approach any of the servants of the foreign kingdom. People weren't often kind, and Nines had been someone to show it to Gavin without prompting.

Biting on the inside of his cheek, he let the prince take his arm to help with the bandaging.

Nines silently unwrapped the bandage and started to fix it from the beginning. He didn't like the state that Gavin's arm was in at all and fixing it with only minimal supplies was asking for an infection. Except he knew it would be overstepping to offer more help, he was probably overstepping right now. He mentally shook himself and forced his focus back on his work. A few minutes later Gavin's arm was properly wrapped up and Nines smiled at him. "There we go," he said softly.

It took everything Gavin had not to snatch his arm back and run, feeling totally unworthy of Nines' help and careful attention. "Thank you, Your Highness," he muttered instead, keeping his eyes down. He really didn't know what to do after such a showing.

"You're more than welcome," Nines replied as he leaned forward to wash the blood off his hands in the fish pond. "No one deserves to hurt alone," he said quietly as he dried his hands off on his pants. He didn't say much else as he quickly got comfortable and grabbed his sketchbook and turned to a new page.

Gavin knew he shouldn't, he _ really _ shouldn't, but the prince had made no sign that he objected to the company… Despite his continuing urge to run, Gavin leaned over and stared at the beginnings of Nines' sketch. It was gorgeous, he was envious of such skill. The only talent he had was for covering up wounds. "You are a highly accomplished artist," he muttered softly.

Nines' hand stilled as he took in the complement. He felt his face and ears heat, not used to such genuine words of praise. Everyone, except maybe Connor and Rose, always praised him with big words and gestures that didn’t really mean anything. Not that _ fake praise _ didn't embarrass him, but he found much more meaningful feeling with what Gavin had said. He was starting to notice a theme with Gavin just being... _ more. _

"Thank you," he whispered as he resumed his motions. He had the urge to talk but figured Gavin was a man of few words. Rambling about art seemed like an easy option. "I really enjoy creating art. It's not usually becoming of a prince, but I do it nonetheless." Nines paused for a seconds before going on. "I am the artist responsible for the painting I met you in front of earlier today."

"Holy sh-" Gavin just managed to hold back on his swear, and he really hoped he hadn't offended Nines with it. Sensing something in Nines' words, his eyes fell back to the page and he took in the slightly distant look on his face. "Do you use it as an escape sometimes?"

"That's the best way I've ever heard it stated." Nines huffed out a quiet laugh, "I started painting as a way to rebel, I remember the queen was having her portrait taken. I was tired of my etiquette lessons so I marched right up to the painter and demanded a lesson. Given I was five, I can look back and excuse the behaviour.” He sighed with a bit of longing. “I've loved it ever since."

There was something in Nines' words that touched something inside Gavin. It struck him that maybe the prince didn't care for the royal life much. "What would you spend your life creating, if you had the chance?"

Nines hummed as he gave the question some thought. He glanced up at Gavin's lovely face. "I've always liked doing portraits. But I would have to pick something more modern like expressionism. You know the risque art. Something for the thrill of doing what I want."

"Sounds nice," he said softly with a sad smile, staring back at the water. He was envious that Nines had that dream, even if it was a far-fetched one. There was no chance of him ever getting an opportunity like that.

The prince noticed a bit of melancholy slip into the air around Gavin. Then an idea struck him. He flipped to a blank page and offered the book and pencil to the smaller man with a smile. "Give it a try, there's not a wrong way to do art."

Gavin recoiled and pushed away. _ "No!" _ Remembering his place, he reigned in his tone and shook his head. "No, I couldn't possibly touch something belonging to you. I should go. Have a good night, Your Highness." With that he took off, heart pounding at realizing the problems this could cause. If Elijah found out that he'd been talking to the prince, he'd be dragged into the political game going on around him rather than just being left to his own devices.

He'd sooner throw himself off the highest wall than risk that happening. Gavin wanted no part of this.

Nines stayed frozen as he watched the man desperately sprint away. Several moments after Gavin had disappeared from sight, Nines couldn't say how long, he lowered the offered supplies and sighed. "Okay," he whispered to the open air, he didn't feel like drawing anymore. He stood up and glanced towards the castle, then back towards the walls and that old feeling of being trapped returned. Be it a wall or his status as Prince, his lot in life made sure he was alone. 

A tear may have slipped down his cheek as he returned to his quarters, just as empty as before, or maybe even more so.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> (Pssst, since this fic is almost finished, we'll be posting updates to this every day. Even then, it's going to take a long time before it's done XD)


	3. Undeniable Attraction

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys! So, one thing we felt like we should clarify (since we hadn't added the names when we posted the first chapter, clever ones that we are), is the names of all the kingdoms.
> 
> Connor/Nines's kingdom is Gardenia.  
Elijah/Gavin's kingdom is Cybera.  
Markus and co's kingdom is Jericho.
> 
> (We tried to stay as thematic as possible throughout the fic, so apologies for the slight lack of creativity for the names XD)
> 
> The reception so far has been incredible, thank you all so much! Please feel free to share all your thoughts regarding the fic with us, we will always appreciate your thoughts!

The next day saw Gavin trying to hide out in any corner of the castle he could to avoid being drawn into anything. He was all too aware that he couldn't linger in any one spot too long, lest some of King Connor's guards become potentially suspicious, but he at least managed to pass the morning and half of the afternoon in solitude.

He hated himself for running away from Nines the previous night. It was only after he'd gotten over his panic that he'd tried to go back to the pond, only to find that Nines was sitting completely still, not even drawing. His heart had fallen at realizing he'd broken the man's mood - but finding a way to apologize to a Prince for something like that was a challenge.

In the end, he'd managed to find a small study and used his hard-drilled scribing skills to pen a letter to him. It wasn't much, but it would hopefully put across what he intended. Maybe this was stupid...but Gavin couldn't stop thinking about Nines. The man just wasn't your typical noble. He was-

Gavin could swear Nines was just as lost in the world as he was, a prisoner of his own circumstances.

It took a few attempts before he finally came up with something that he deemed suitable.

** _Your Highness,_ **

** _I never intended to cause you pain last night, and I feel ashamed for doing so given you aided me. I am used to nobles shouting at me, striking me or using me for their own personal entertainment. For one to show genuine kindness to me is...I know not what to with such a thing. Please, accept my humblest apologies and my assertion that I will not get in your way again. I've caused you enough trouble._ **

** _And for the record, I think you should maybe paint some more of what you want. You're a prince, there aren't many people who would dare speak out against you - not that I think they would want to._ **

** _Gavin_ **

At least being Elijah's personal groom meant that Gavin's presence to deliver a note to Nines' chambers wasn't questioned in the slightest. He managed to reach them and slip the note under the door before striding away again. Now he just had to find a way to stay out from Elijah's feet for the rest of the night...

* * *

Nines’ mood had been a little lower than normal. He was tired and keeping a princely smile plastered on his face through the morning meetings along with the lavish lunch was far more exhausting than normal. He was thrilled when he snuck off to his chambers for a few minutes alone. He closed the door behind him and made his way towards his bed. Then paused when he heard the crinkle of paper underfoot. He looked down curiously.

** _Prince Richard _ **

The beautiful penmanship declared. 

Nines reached down and opened the letter. He couldn't believe what he was reading - the first, second, or fifth time he read it. He had several mixed emotions. First and foremost, his blood boiled at the people who had hurt Gavin; the scars and late-night injury were put into a much more sinister light. The second was of relief and a bit of joy. Nines wasn't able to linger on the feelings much longer as he heard his door open. He looked up as he pulled the letter to the chest. 

Connor.

The king waved his main guard away and closed the door behind him, "Hey, Nines. I was informed by my guards that one of Elijah's men gave you a letter. May I see it?" He cut right to the chase.

Nines gaped a little before answering. "No."

Connor blinked and looked at the paper clutched in his younger brother's hands. "What?"

The prince shook himself and slid the letter into his vest. "It's nothing of political importance. You don’t need to worry about it." Connor narrowed his eyes at the response, but then gave a sharp nod.

"I trust you. But you should have it cleared with your guard, please."

"I can do that," Nines nodded. "Do you need me for anything else today?"

"Not particularly. Why?"

Nines moved to gather up a few things. "I want to paint," was all he said before he made his way past his brother and out to the gardens.

It had taken some effort, but Gavin eventually managed to find a quiet corner of the castle - okay it wasn't a corner, it was the freaking roof - but from here he could watch as the sunset and survey the area around him. Finding spots and peace like this wasn't possible at home...it made Gavin wish that the peace talks dragged on so that he could find more opportunities for these snatches of freedom. Or at least the illusion of it.

After a few hours he was starting to get cold, but it would still be too early to return to Elijah's chambers. The man always stayed awake well into the night (if he slept at all), so if he was going to avoid Elijah for the day, he had to wait until long into the night. Still, he needed to do something. 

Standing up to look over the edge of the roof, his eyes widened at seeing Nines sitting beneath a tree, three candles propped up around him, and painting in their natural light. He looked serene in his concentration and Gavin had to fight the urge to go to him. Nines wasn't just anyone, and being seen with the prince was potentially dangerous for both of them.

Still... Maybe he could get a little closer...

Nines was working with wide strokes and generous paint, focusing intently on his project. But not intently enough to miss the sound of someone stealthily approaching from the area behind him. He sighed looking up from his painting and frowned, "I know you're there. So, I would highly recommend you show yourself before I have to find you myself."

Gavin flinched. Damn, Nines was good. He'd always prided himself on being relatively silent. With a defeated sigh, he waged an internal war on whether to simply walk away or try. Given his actions the previous night, however, he felt that leaving now might send the wrong message given his attempt at apologizing. 

"I don't mean to intrude," he offered apologetically while standing closer so that Nines could see him.

Nines swallowed around the lump forming in his throat at seeing it was Gavin who was approaching him. That was the last person he expected to see. He had been fully prepared to never see the servant again. "Good thing I do not consider your company intrusive,” he answered honestly.

"I am glad to see you painting, I was afraid that I'd spoiled your inspiration after last night," Gavin went on, but still didn't get any closer.

The prince locked eyes with the canvas, "Inspiration isn't like milk. It doesn't spoil. You can run out, get more than you know what to do with, have just the right amount, or maybe even waste it. But it doesn't spoil." What Gavin didn't know was that he'd given the prince more inspiration than he'd had for a while and they'd barely spoken for more than an hour.

“I’m glad to know that. In that case, I should take my leave so that I do not distract you. Have a good night, Your Highness...And thank you for helping me. It is greatly appreciated,” he bowed before giving Nines a tiny smile, ready to depart.

"You're more than welcome. I'm glad I could help," Nines said choosing his words carefully. He looked up and met the eyes of the man. "You can do as you wish, but please understand I do not consider you a bother and that you are more than welcome to stay here with me. But you are also welcome to leave." He then broke eye contact and resumed work on his painting. Nines hoped that Gavin would stay. Oh, how he hoped.

Watching Nines for a few more minutes, Gavin realised that the prince was able to tune out aspects of the world around him to focus on his work. He was glad and he also wasn’t that Nines had given him the freedom to choose whether he remained or not. Choice...wasn’t something he had, so he didn’t really know how to deal with it.

After debating for a few minutes, he took a couple of cautious steps closer and sat down against the tree, his back up against the trunk. He was at right angles to Nines, making sure not to be seen as spying on the piece. If Nines wanted to show him, that was a different matter - but for now, Gavin quietly enjoyed the studious company.

Nines' heart jumped into his throat as he watched Gavin sit down next to him out of the corner of his eye. The silence was lovely, it wasn't the oppressive silence of being truly alone. No, it was comforting. 

After a handful of minutes, Nines let out a triumphant noise as he put the last brush stroke on the canvas. His eyes sparkled as he turned to Gavin and showed him the completed painting. It was a vase of muted coloured flowers. The main flower of the piece was clearly shown to be a bit funny looking, but the strokes were wide, wild, and the idea was a bit abstract. "What do you think?" Nines asked and then shrugged a bit. "To be honest I've never done anything like this before."

A small smile came to Gavin’s face. “I really like the contrast between the colours and the strokes. The flowers are there, almost contained, but there’s something wild about them - almost like they’re trying to break free.”

"Fantastic!” Nines beamed. “I'm so happy it has something almost real to it," he gushed as he pulled the painting back. He then picked up the small brush and dipped it into the black paint. Then a flourish later the piece was signed. He held it out for Gavin. "t's not dry yet, but if you're so inclined to see me again after tonight you can have it." His offer was gutsy, but he was a little high on the company and endorphins.

Gavin gaped at him. “Wha-“ He caught himself before he spoke out of turn again, staring at the painting with immense sorrow. There was nothing he wanted more than to take it. He stretched out a hand to all but touch the page reverently. “I’m humbled and overjoyed at the offer, Your Highness...But there is no way I could,” he told Nines with a rough voice. “I could never manage to conceal it from my King, and such a piece doesn’t deserve to be hidden.”

"That's fair, I don't usually display my smaller works anyway. But if you change your mind don't hesitate to let me know." Nines rambled. He then put down his art supplies and turned his body to fully face Gavin as he smirked a bit. "Does that mean you wish to see me again?"

This wasn’t fair, it really wasn’t. Gavin really did want to see Nines again, but he- “Regardless of whether I do or not, I don’t have the option. Slaves aren’t allowed wants, and don’t get the freedom of choice,” he replied bitterly.

Nines felt his stomach drop. He'd become so enraptured in the lovely man he'd briefly forgotten their obvious class difference. The most extreme class difference any two people could have. A prince and a slave, he'd been a fool. Nines swallowed and pulled back a bit. "I apologize, I've overstepped my place." He looked toward the walls again. "Will you stay with me a little longer, at the very least?"

Gavin nodded, but before he sat back there was one more thing that he felt he needed to say. “Thank you.” At Nines’ look, he went on. “For treating me like someone, rather than just something to be ordered around. I’m...really not used to it.” His hand fell to his bandaged arm and he ran a thumb over the wrappings beneath. If only the option existed for him to serve Nines instead. A long time ago he’d sworn that if he ever managed to find freedom, he’d never belong to someone ever again. With Nines though...

That thought was cut off before it could really take shape. There was no way he’d ever be free of Elijah bar death, so there was no point dreaming. Dreaming only gave him the hurt of wanting impossible things.

"I wish everyone treated you well," Nines sighed, "As to say, don't thank me. I'm just... I'm just..." _ Lonely? Pathetic? Sad? _ He swallowed around the lump in his throat and then continued, "I'm just enjoying someone treating me more than just a... prince. So, thank you for that, too."

A small laugh came from Gavin’s throat. “I guess you and I are on opposite extremes of the same dilemma. We can’t be who wish we could.”

Nines leaned back and got comfortable against the tree and then turned to really look at Gavin. The scar on his nose wasn't the only one and he looked tired. "Who do you wish you could be?" He asked simply, his voice wistful.

"Me," he scoffed bitterly. "Anything other than King Elijah's personal slave." His smile turned melancholy. "I wondered about joining the guards before I ended up becoming the King's property. Wonder if that would have been so good given what I know they turn a blind eye to now." Eyes turned to meet Nines' again. "Would you be a travelling artist, or would you settle down somewhere, Your Highness?" Gavin hoped his curiosity wouldn't cause ire.

Nines understood Gavin's sentiment because there was nothing he wanted more than to be himself. He hummed as he gave Gavin's question some real thought. "I've never thought too much about what I would do if I wasn't a prince. I never really had that luxury." Nines shook his head. That wasn’t exactly true. "All I ever really wished for was not to end up being King." He broke eye contact and glanced at his painting. "Sorry, that was a bit of a tangent, but I think being able to settle down and find love would magical."

Gavin's eyes showed understanding. "I can only imagine how many offers you receive, but all of them would be hollow - as arrangements tend to be?" He'd seen a fair bit in Elijah's court, the nobles constantly scheming to get marriages secured for political gain. Love seemed to be an incredibly rare thing.

The prince blinked at Gavin. Then he felt a laugh start to form in his chest then it burst out in giggles. "Me? Get offers?" he smiled cheekily. "Connor's still technically single. No one cares about, and to quote a potential suitor, 'An awkward, quiet, knobby-kneed artistic fuck who's second in line.'"

Grey eyes sparkled in anger. "Are you fucking kidding me? And here I was thinking that it was just my kingdom that were pricks." He suddenly remembered who he's with and paled. "Oh, sh-I apologise, Your Highness. That was incredibly crass of me."

"No matter, be yourself, please. I'm very hard to offend," Nines winked and then continued, "Often Connor and I are the odd ones out in royal events. Almost everyone with as much power as we do _ are _ fucking pricks, except maybe Prince Markus."

Gavin smiled softly. "I've met him, and his companions. Their entourage all sang their praises of Prince Markus, they even told me about how he and his husband, Simon, met. Simon used to be one of his servants and they fell in love." He shook his head in disbelief. "Life can be very strange sometimes."

Nines blushed and looked at his hands. Simon was a wonderful man, Nines always seemed to forget about people's origins. It was always easier for the second-in-lines to get away with things like marrying outside of the royal blue blood.

His head shot up. _ He _ was second-in-line, Connor would never refuse his Blessing. Nines could bring in a slave from three kingdoms over and Connor would eventually allow them to be together. "Life and love have a habit of finding a way," he finally found his voice and leaned a bit closer toward Gavin. Drawn in by the invisible pull of the man.

Seeing the way that Nines came closer, Gavin had to fight his instincts to bolt. His heart was pounding not only from the proximity, but the look in the prince's eyes. "Your Highness?" It was barely a whisper, and Gavin really didn't know where to look. Nines' lips, his cheeks, his hair...anywhere but where he really wanted to, because that was forbidden.

Gavin's voice sounded almost scared and it snapped Nines back to reality. He leaned back a bit and shook his head. "Pardon me." He cleared his throat and decided to reach out, gently wiping an invisible speck of dirt from Gavin's cheek. Nines didn't know why he did it, but he did it regardless. He hoped he hadn't ruined the tentative friendship they had created with whatever _ that _was.

While Gavin was many things, a liar wasn't one of them. To say that he was disappointed Nines pulled back was an understatement and a half, and he was surprised at the force of the sadness which ripped through him. He was shocked at how much he liked the prince in his space. When Nines' hand reached up to connect with Gavin's cheek, the servant shivered in delight and closed his eyes out of instinct. He even leant into it, unconsciously.

Nines gasped at Gavin's reaction. He couldn't bring himself to pull his hand away, letting them both enjoy the comfort of touch. "Is there anything else you want?" Nines asked, his voice low.

"I..." Gavin's eyes opened again, and they finally met Nines' own. Such an alluring shade of blue...he felt like he could get lost in them. He _ was_, right now. Finding sudden courage, he breathed out. "I don't get to want, or at least not choose what I want. Things are chosen for me...and sometimes, they _are _what I want." He hoped Nines could realise what he was asking, but couldn't say in such a direct way.

The prince sent a silent prayer to whoever was listening that he hadn't gotten the wrong idea. He gave in to the allure that surrounded Gavin and leaned in slowly, making sure he gave him the time to refuse the silent offer. Their lips met in a tentative touch, a sweet, stolen exchange. Nines' heart pounded in his throat and his face was an inferno as he pulled back just enough to look Gavin in the eyes.

Gavin's own face was scarlet, and he had forgotten how to breathe as he stared at the prince. He'd kissed a few people before, but nothing had felt as electric as that. "Holy fuck..." he breathed out finally. "I-I thought I was just projecting," Gavin admitted.

Nines let out a tiny breathy laugh, "Oh thank God. I was so afraid I had read this wrong, the last thing I wanted to do was something you didn't want." He leaned his face in a little more. "Can we do that again?"

A smile broke out on Gavin's face. "I will never ask you to stop doing that," he whispered before leaning in himself, daring to take something for himself for the first time. Nines eyes slipped closed as he tangled his other hand into Gavin's hair. He moved clumsily, but he couldn't care less - he'd never felt anything like this before. It was almost like he was intoxicated.

Gavin whined and slid closer to Nines, pressing the taller man back into the tree as he slid his tongue into the prince's mouth. Nines was like a drug, he couldn't get enough of the taste nor feel of him. His hands wound into Nines' tunic and gripped tight, not wanting to let him go. Nines went where Gavin led him, moaning as his back hit the tree and again as a tongue found its way into his mouth.

He was at Gavin's completely mercy and that felt wonderful. The kiss was growing sloppy and Nines was trying his best to keep up, but he ended up just turning into groaning putty, nonetheless. Pulling back a little breathless, Gavin opened his eyes to see Nines looking completely debauched...and he loved it. The other man looked so handsome and irresistible like this. “Looks like I blew your mind a bit,” he laughed, still not believing that this could be happening.

Nines was panting but managed a breathy laugh, "You, _ uh... _ yes." He cleared his throat a little. "That was a memorable experience." Nines couldn't have asked for a better first kiss.

Gavin’s laugh came to a gentle stop and he blushed faintly, wanting more but not knowing where to start. Besides, Nines was still a little dumbstruck by the look on his face. He pulled back a few inches, just enough to give Nines space and sat patiently, not really sure what to do now. When he’d been kissed by others, he didn’t usually have this kind of free will. Having freedom like this was...an unknown. His hands did rest on Nines’ chest though; Gavin wasn’t that keen to remove them, to be honest.

Nines was grinning like an idiot as he stared into Gavin's beautiful, morning fog like, green eyes. Gavin looked unsure of how to continue but his hands were such a sweet point of contact. It was like he was afraid that if he moved Nines would disappear. Honestly, he felt the same way and he snaked his hands down Gavin's arms, clutching at the other's hands. Almost holding on for dear life before he then smiled. "You're the most gorgeous person I have ever had the pleasure of laying my eyes upon."

“I think you might need your eyes checked, Your Highness,” Gavin laughed before his eyes widened. “Was that why you were looking at me when I arrived? I couldn’t stop my cheeks from burning when I noticed.”

Nines looked away at the prospect of having been caught. "Yeah, you were the only one I could see in that whole parade." He leaned in a little closer once again. "You're the only one I can see right now, too."

“God, if you keep saying stuff like that...” Gavin couldn’t help himself and caught Nines’ lips in another fierce kiss. It was like an addiction already; no-one had ever made him feel this special before, like he was actually someone worthy of attention and acknowledgement. He wasn’t sure how he was going to cope when the inevitable came and this became nothing more than treasured memories when they had to leave.

Nines kissed back, hands flying back into Gavin's mousy brown hair. The kiss lasted for a bit longer this time but when it eventually broke, they were both panting. He nuzzled into the crook of Gavin's neck and wrapped his arms around the smaller man. "If you keep doing _ that _I'll tell you every single sweet nothing in the world."

Gavin wanted nothing more than to sink into the moment with Nines completely, but he was suddenly _ very _aware of how open they were. If anyone found them like this... “Do you think we could move? I dread to think what would happen if anyone found us like this.” It was left unspoken what might happen if Elijah realised what was happening between them...

Nines jerked at the realization that he was making out with a foreign servant _ in the fucking castle grounds. _"We should move shouldn't we?" He briefly considered just taking Gavin up to his quarters, but the guard outside his door would definitely tattle. Then it hit him, no one dared to enter his study. He'd made it very clear over the years he was not to be bothered while he was in that room. 

"I have the perfect location," he grinned, standing up quickly and taking Gavin with him. The smaller man was a bit heavier than Nines expected but it wasn't anything he couldn't handle. "Let's be on our way."


	4. Late Night Secret

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There be smut ahead in this chapter! I know you’re all probably looking forward to it rather than are trying to avoid it, but can’t be too careful 😎

Gavin let Nines lead them through the castle, in awe of how the prince knew exactly when and where the guards on patrol would cross their path. It didn’t take long for them to reach the room in question, and Gavin’s eyes widened when he took it in. It was a beautiful study, and even though it was massive it didn’t feel overbearing.  As his gaze wandered over everything, Gavin was suddenly aware of another pair of eyes burning behind him. He spun to see Nines looking him over, his blue eyes blown wide and Gavin whined quietly at that look.

Nines closed the distance between them. "The guards, or anyone for that matter, will not bother us here." He leaned down and placed a light kiss on Gavin's lips. "Now that we're here what did you have in mind?" he smirked happily, trying to hide the butterflies collecting in his stomach.

“I...I am open to whatever you wish for, Your Highness.” It felt too proper, too formal for a setting such as this, but he didn’t know how to just turn being a servant off. It had been beaten into him, it wasn’t a skin he could easily shed, even if he just wanted to let everything fall and give Nines all of him already.

"Nines, please call me Nines," he shook his head and laughed lightly. "You've had your tongue in my mouth, you can use my name. Or you can call me Richard or a variation of that if you prefer, but please no more honourifics." He kissed Gavin again to erase the tension. "I would like it a lot of you took the lead." Which was his way of saying he had no fucking clue what to do.

“What would you prefer I call you?” Gavin asked while pressing Nines up against the door lightly, leaning in to just rest his lips against the other man’s neck but not make firmer contact. His hands were resting against Nines’ chest, barely a touch, but enough to keep the illusion of the prince being pinned.

_ "Nines, _ " he squeaked. With his back against the door and Gavin pressed against his front, he had a very real fear that his heart was going to beat its way out of his chest.  "God,  _ please."  _ The words tumbled out of his mouth before he could stop them.

Gavin almost froze at the tone, but the pleading behind them made his heart soar. There was no mistaking the genuine want there. “Please, what...Nines?” It felt so wrong to say the prince’s name like this, but the way his eyes went wide told Gavin it was the right call. “What do you want?”

Nines' hands went to hold onto Gavin's forearms and he held on for dear life. The sound of his preferred name on Gavin's lips was downright sinful. "Uh. I," he swallowed around his suddenly very dry throat, "I-I don't know."  He really wanted Gavin to make all the hard decisions for him, but words were failing him spectacularly at the moment.

Seeing something in Nines' eyes and body language, Gavin pulled him away from the door and over to the sofa at the side of the room.  "Nines, you look a little overwhelmed. I-I thought I was doing what you wanted?" He had the feeling he knew what was up - which was blowing Gavin's mind - but he wanted Nines to say at least  _ something about _ not having been in this situation before.

Nines followed Gavin willingly and was pleased that Gavin seemed to be taking the lead, but when they were sat down it looked like Nines was ruining something. He nodded and reached and grabbed ahold of the servant’s shirt. Suddenly very afraid the man was going to bolt again. It took and effort for him to find  his voice. "Yes, you are definitely doing what I want.  _ Please, _ do more of it." He nodded enthusiastically.

Gavin spied the panic in Nines' eyes and placed his own hands over the prince's, rubbing them lightly. "Nines, it's okay if this is the first time you've done something like this. We've all been there before." He leant in to kiss Nines again. "I want to do more with you, but only if you're sure about it."  And there were so many ideas spinning through Gavin's head now that he'd let them off the leash...but he'd only go through with them if Nines was on board 100%. No-one deserved to be taken advantage of like that.

The prince chuckled and shook his head, but gave Gavin a shy smile. "Is it that obvious?" It was his first time: he was notoriously shy and getting close to people was difficult. Some would call him a hopeless romantic but he wanted something at least vaguely special for his first time. And that wasn't even mentioning the war.

"Only because I remember being the same way when I was in that position," Gavin told him softly, leaving another kiss upon his lips. He frowned a little. "Please don't think that I've done things with many people - I haven't - but I do have at least a vague idea of how  _ this  _ goes," he finished shamefully, knowing how it came across.

"At least that makes one of us," Nines chuckled. "No shame in that stuff. I mean, we live life how we want. There's no wrong way to do it." Nines leaned in and kissed Gavin again, "But, just so we're 100% clear, I'm very much on board with this. Now, please, please take the lead. I'm too nervous for that myself."

"Okay, but you tell me the minute this get uncomfortable for you? I won't take advantage of you." Gavin's tone was stern, way more than it should be for talking to someone of Nines' station but he'd been on the wrong end of this for years - being manipulated and used. He would never inflict that upon someone else willingly.

_ "I will,"  _ Nines laughed and shook his head. "And honestly? If I had the slightest worry you'd hurt me, you wouldn't be here." He understood the worry that Gavin had, but he was ready to get his hands onto the smaller man's skin. He leaned in and caressed Gavin's cheeks and pulled him into a passionate kiss.

Gavin groaned at the feeling of Nines' lips upon his own again and pulled him close, leaning back so that Nines was lain atop him along the sofa. His hands wandered all over - sides, chest, thighs, face...he wanted to memorise every detail of Nines. His hands finally stilled on the prince's shirt and slid through the gap at the neckline, finding the broad shoulders beneath. Gavin shivered at the power he was sure they contained.

Nines felt like he was on fire, lit ablaze by Gavin's talented hands. When the smaller man's hands made their way to under his shirt, Nines pulled back and after a few crafty moments with buttons his outer shirt was gone. He reached for the ties on Gavin's. "May I?"

“Please,” Gavin breathed, now focused on freeing Nines completely from the confines of his shirts. He was desperate to see what lay beneath them, to worship the skin that was hidden from view. It would undoubtedly be just as enthralling as the rest of Nines. The prince didn't hesitate for a moment as he started work on getting Gavin out of his clothes and he moved to help Gavin get him out his own. He was desperate to see the canvas that was Gavin's skin. He wanted to the story that was told by the map of his skin.

Something suddenly occurred to Gavin through the haze of lust and he froze under Nines, going completely still. "Nines there's- I need to tell you something. I've..." His heart was pounding with the weight of his confession. 

"You might not like what you see. There are a lot of...scars. Remains of wounds I've suffered over the years." Nines' skin would be pristine, unlike his own. No horrible nobbled and warped skin over gouges and cuts, no remains of burns that didn't heal. No imperfections...Unlike Gavin, whose skin told the mistake that was his whole life - an inescapable evidence of his unworthiness.

Nines paused in untying Gavin's last layer and pulled back. He smiled in understanding. "I'll show you mine, you show me yours?" he said as he grabbed the hem of his last layer. "Let me go first then." Then in one fell swoop Nines was shirtless. He had very pale skin, which was accented by a heavily smattering of freckles and moles, but that wasn't where Gavin's eyes were drawn to. Among the expanse of pale skin there were three bullet wound scars and one where he was stabbed just above his belly button.

"Oh my god..." Gavin's hands reached up to caress the bared skin, paying extra attention to scars which had Gavin's heart racing in worry. What had happened to him? "Nines, how did you get these?" he whispered, almost scared to know.

The prince smiled sadly. "Those may be stories for another time, Gav." He really didn't want to kill the mood with stories of war, power struggles, and death.  He leaned in and kissed Gavin again, to quiet any protests. When he pulled back he slid a hand just under the hem of Gavin's shirt, in a silent question.

Gavin nodded slowly, closing his eyes as Nines pulled it off. His whole body was taut as Nines at last saw the damage. The bandage on Gavin's arm stood out, but there were also thick black stitches along his right pectoral, three long, angry scars down the centre of his chest, built up and warped skin on his abdomen from various stabs....And the focal point was a brand of his kingdom's crest over his left pectoral, half of which was a vibrant red, while the rest was a pale brown. He didn't dare to see Nines' face. 

"When you're a slave, they like to remind you of that if you step out of line," he whispered sadly.  Nines' mouth fell open at the marks on Gavin's skin. They spoke of years of abuse and down right  _ torture. _ As a man with power and the freedom to use it as he pleased, he still couldn't imagine hurting someone, let alone this much. Maybe his tutors were correct in that he was soft, but at least he wasn't a monster. 

Nines wanted to lean down and kiss every single one of the scars, but some of them weren't healed. Instead he caressed Gavin's cheek, encouraging him to look up. Only once he did so did Nines speak. "I don't know how much this means to you, but I swear on my life I will never hurt you in that way."

His heart was pounding and Gavin whimpered at the declaration, feeling so unworthy. "I believe you," he told Nines, bringing the prince's hand to rest over some of the older wounds. "It's okay, I trust you," Gavin urged as he waited with bated breath to see what Nines would do.

He caressed the older scar with a reverence to rival the most devoted saints. "I'm glad," he whispered. He then pulled his hand back and snaked his arms around Gavin's waist, the other arm following until he had the smaller man encompassed in a hug. He groaned softly at the feel of naked skin against skin.

Gavin whined at the contact and caught an aborted thrust against Nines.  _ "Oh fuck..." _ His mind was at war, he wanted to bare himself to Nines so much - but his stupid brain couldn't chase away the fact that Nines was a Prince. A noble, and they only meant traumatic memories for Gavin. 

Except h e knew that being noble didn't universally mean that the person was cruel. He and Nines had talked about Markus earlier, he was proof of that. Nines was safe: he was safe. If Nines wanted this...then Gavin could do it with him.

Nines could feel the tension radiating off Gavin in waves. He needed to redirect that tension - he was nervous but not stupid. "I'm going to take good care of you." He then nuzzled into the crook of Gavin's neck and opened his mouth to place a clumsy kiss there. His hands went to his sides and started tracing delicate lines up and down.

Gavin whispered, "Nines," while wrapping his arms around the prince's shoulders and opening his legs wider so that Nines could slip between them. There was no hiding his arousal like this but he didn't want to. Nines wouldn't abuse that knowledge, he wasn't like the rest of them. The other man's hands were like fire and Gavin couldn't help but press up into them. He wanted them everywhere.

The prince shivered and moaned. "Gavin." The sensation of having such a handsome man pressed up against him was riveting. He could feel how hard Gavin was and that knowledge gave him a rush of bravery. He moved his hands from Gavin's side to his thighs. Then, after he hesitated for a moment, he used his strength to move Gavin into a much more comfortable position. Nines knew this way that his own erection was obvious to the smaller man.

Groaning loudly at feeling how hard Nines was - for  _ him  _ of all people - Gavin this time did thrust back up against him, relishing in the reaction it brought about. "I want you Nines, fuck I want you so much," he begged, opening his legs fully in invitation. One of his hands fell to fondle Nines' erection, shivering at the length he felt beneath.

Nines felt his eyes roll back when Gavin touched him. "Fuck, I want you too." He knew his face was aflame, but his splotchy blush was quickly spreading to his chest and shoulders. He moved his hand to moved to stroke Gavin through his pants, their hands brushing next to each other.

Riding a high of courage, Gavin began unlacing Nines' pants. "Let me feel you, please," he begged, fighting with the laces to free him. "God, how do you wear these and take a leak? They would drive me nuts!"  Nines blinked and before he could tamp it down he laughed. Once he regained his composure he answered. 

"As you would expect, I've had a bit of practice over the years." He moved his hand away from Gavin for a moment in assistance. "Let me help." Then after a couple of tugs the laces were out of the way.  Gavin pulled the pants apart and slipped them down Nines' hips. His mouth watered at seeing Nines' length spring free. 

"Holy...you're  _ long _ ." He was squirming a little just at the thought of that inside him, it was intoxicating.

"Am I?" the prince blushed. "Well, that's good." Nines decided it was his turn and began the work of taking Gavin's pants off, which was remarkably easier than his own. Seeing Gavin exposed and open was amazing, his dick was just as handsome as the rest of him. "Wow," he gasped.

Gavin blushed fiercely. "Nines..." He didn't want the other man staring at him, he wanted to  _ feel  _ him. His hands went around to cup Nines' backside and pulled him down again, gasping when their erections rubbed together. Fuck, he didn't think he'd ever been this hard, and Nines wasn't even in him yet...

Nines moaned as he felt the soft contact. He was leaking and he wanted to touch Gavin more than anything, so he wrapped them both in his hand. A moan escaped both of them at the contact. Nines gave a few experimental pumps before he got the courage to move in earnest.  _ "Oh, god,"  _ h e moaned, shaking with the sensation. He hid his face once again in the crook of Gavin's neck.

Biting back on an extremely loud moan, Gavin pressed back into Nines’ grip and began thrusting into the other man’s hand. When that didn’t feel like enough, he brought his own hand down to join the grip and gasped at the additional pressure. “Nines, god, I...” He could feel warmth curling already, but he wanted more. He wanted to feel all of Nines - but only if the prince wanted it too. “Do you want more than this?” he gasped.

The prince groaned and nodded. "Please, I'll take anything you'll give me." He was overwhelmed with the wonderful sensation of Gavin and his hands. His stomach was tightening, but he wanted nothing more of, well,  _ more. _

Something struck Gavin about that. All this time he’s been wanting Nines to take him - but maybe that wasn’t the best option here. Nines was completely new to sex, whereas Gavin had done it a couple of times. He’d never topped anyone though. Could he do it? “Nines, lay back for me,” he whispered. “I can take care of you.”

Nines nodded. "Okay, but uh, we need to get these off all the way." He reluctantly stood up and he stepped out of his pants, Gavin doing the same. With a bit of a flourish, Nines turned and laid down on the couch opening his arms in invitation. His smile was lopsided and probably fucked out already.

Gavin stared over Nines in wonder, still not believing that this was happening. Now they had the other problem of what they were going to use to make this easier for Nines... He looked around. “Nines, do you have any sorts of oils in here?”

"I have my paints, they're oil based," he declared cheerfully as he pointed towards a desk by the window.

A little laugh escaped Gavin, despite his best efforts. With a smile, he knelt on the edge of the sofa and ran a tentative finger around Nines’ hole. “They wouldn’t exactly be safe for what I was thinking,” he told the prince with a fierce blush.

Nines had the idea to complement Gavin's lovely laugh, but all coherent thought went out the window when the other man touched his hole. Only a moan escaped him at that moment. "Oh," he replied dumbly after he regained his power of speech, "I-I don't know if I have anything that'll work."

Gavin’s mind got to work and a little smile came to his face as he was struck with an idea. “I’m just going to have to get a bit more creative then.” That was all the warning he gave before he descended to his knees and took Nines’ cock in his mouth, one finger still teasing his rim.

That earned and almost scream, but Nines clapped a hand over his mouth. Screaming would definitely get the guards in here, and that would be not good. Gavin's mouth was scorching, a wet heat that was unlike anything he'd ever experienced. He shifted the hand that he wasn't now biting into Gavin's hair. Fuck, it felt amazing.

With a low hum of happiness, Gavin took more of Nines’ length into his mouth. He didn’t have a hope of getting all of it, Nines was way too long for that, but it did mean that Gavin could suck on the top half while pumping the bottom. The hand that was teasing Nines’ hole shifted up to start doing exactly that as Gavin’s tongue dipping into the slit to steal some of the precome that Nines was leaking. From the way the man was trembling, he was close.

Nines felt he end approaching quickly. He tugged ever so slightly at Gavin's hair, "Gav-, Gavin. I-I'm close." He felt like a taut bow string about to snap.

Gavin pulled off with a pop and looked right up at Nines as he pumped him harder. “Come for me, Nines, I want to see how gorgeous you look falling apart.”  Nines' head fell back against the couch as the tension snapped, he jerked and painted his chest. His muffled moans echoed through the expanse of the study, the sound intimate. He'd never felt so amazing in his life. When came down from his peak, he pulled his hand out his mouth. 

"That was wonderful, you're wonderful," he whispered dreamily. He wanted to do something for Gavin, but it looked like the smaller man had a plan.  Nines could roll with that, so he mumbled more praises as he waited.

The slave smiled at him and climbed on to the sofa again, lying alongside Nines to run soothing hands over the man’s sides. “I’m not done with you yet,” he whispered. “Give it a minute and I’ll show you what I mean.” He then locked their lips in a slow, loving kiss, drunk on the high that was Nines.

Nines moaned into the kiss, and wrapped his arms around Gavin. Kisses were the sweetest part of this and he couldn't get enough. God, for a man he met yesterday Nines was already feeling like he was falling head first for him. A scary free fall, but one was more than willing to take.

Pulling back to look at the flush high in Nines’ cheeks, Gavin smiled at him softly. “How you feeling? Think you’ve got enough in you to go again?”  Nines grinned and shifted so Gavin can feel how hard he still was. 

"Yeah, I can go once more," he replied while nuzzling Gavin sweetly, "and I'm absolutely amazing."

“That’s what I was hoping to hear, on both counts,” Gavin purred, stealing another deep kiss as his fingers began running through the streams of white on Nines’ chest. “Try and stay relaxed for me, okay? This is going to feel weird.” His now coated fingers dropped down to Nines’ hole and one slid in gently as Gavin attempted to distract the prince with languid kisses.

Nines mentally agreed. It did feel a bit weird, but not a bad weird - more like foreign. He happily focused on the kisses and the sensation quickly turned into something quite pleasurable. He moaned and wiggled a bit, unsure of how to ask for what he what. Hell, he wasn't quite sure what that even was, he just craved more.  _ "Gav,"  _ Nines whimpered against his lips.

“Shit, Nines,” Gavin panted, arousal spiking at the nickname. Seeing Nines squirming, Gavin added another finger and started scissoring him gently. “Tell me if it hurts, I need to know, okay?”

The prince nodded and wiggled slightly. "It only stings a bit, but I'm more than okay. Feels really fucking amazing." He kissed Gavin sloppily. "Just be gentle and go slow for me, I trust you."

“Don’t worry, Nines, I’ll take care of you.” Gavin sounded a lot more confident than he felt. He really wasn’t sure of himself here, but seeing Nines lost in such pleasure was so invigorating. A third finger slid in and Gavin watched as Nines’ face scrunched, and them eased, addicted to the expressions on the prince’s face.  How could this be their first time together? It felt like he already knew Nines with the intimacy of a years’ long lover.

Nines was lost in sensation. Gavin and he moved so well together, it was almost as if he was in a dream. A fantastic dream. He felt a surge of pleasure and he jerked. That telltale warmth beginning to pool in his belly made him pause and reach out to pat Gavin. "Gav,  _ please.  _ I want you." Nines swallowed around his nerves, "I want you inside me,  _ please." _

Gavin groaned deeply and slowly withdrew, staring down at the vision that was Nines before swiping more of the cool liquid on Nines’ chest to use as a slippery substance. He wouldn’t hurt Nines, as eager as he was to be inside the other man. After slicking up his length, Gavin lined himself up and kissed Nines softly again. “Ready?”

_ "Yes,"  _ Nines whined as he wrapped Gavin up in his arms and pulled him close, kissing the other man back passionately. He was extremely eager and wanted to be as close as possible to his lover.

A long, half-strangled moan caught in Gavin’s throat as he inched into Nines. They couldn’t afford to be caught, let alone like this of all times. If anyone found them right now: Gavin balls deep in Nines, Gavin wouldn’t live to see the dawn. He focused everything on crawling inside, refusing to hurt Nines in his enthusiasm but it was so difficult. Nines felt like heaven. Warmth lined with satin, a dream that scourge like him was not meant to enjoy. Oh, how he wished he could keep Nines like this forever.

The stretch was a bit much at first but like the times before it quickly shifted into a crushing pleasure. Nines' head fell back, eyes rolling. Gavin was going slow and being extra gentle, just like he had asked, but now that he was fully seated Nines wanted him to  _ move. _ Nines wrapped his legs around Gavin and pulled him in, forcing him to move. He nibbled at his smaller lover's earlobe. "Come on, I promise I'm not made of glass," he whispered.

“Maybe, but you’re gonna feel this in the morning, and we can’t have you limping,” Gavin told him knowingly, but he too was desperate to move. Knowing that Nines was not in pain spurred Gavin on and he began to take slow thrusts. “God, you’re so warm and tight,” he breathed reverently, thriving in every beautiful mewl that was escaping Nines under him.

Nines learned pretty quickly that he was a noisy lover, but the praise falling from Gavin mouth made him keen. Nines rocked back into Gavin's short thrusts, getting lost in the moment. He wasn't worried about the war, peace talks, social pressures, or even painting. No, right now it was just him and Gavin, and he wanted to hold onto this feeling as long as he could. "I-I kinda wanna f-feel it," Nines gasped between moans, "W-wanna remember t-this feeling."

“ You will remember it, Nines,” Gavin told him softly, hovering above Nines’ mouth. “Neither of us will ever forget this, I promise you,” he swore, binding the pledge with a deep kiss while starting to thrust harder. His hands moved at the same time, one shifting to tease and twist one of Nines’ nipples while the other began working the prince’s bouncing cock.

The prince blinked rapidly at the surge of emotions and raw sensations. He panted into Gavin mouth trying to keep their lips locked, but the motion of their hips made that difficult. He was just so overwhelmed, and it was so much and he loved it.  _ "Oh,"  _ Nines gasped as he felt a tear escape his eyes. He didn't try to stop them, he was naturally an emotional soul.

Gavin leant down and kissed the tear with a gentle smile, overjoyed to see it. He understood what it meant, and he couldn’t believe that this act had the same emotional weight to Nines. How could this be happening? “You’ve not felt anything yet,” Gavin warned him before picking up the pace again and shifting his angle, looking for the spot that he knew would drive Nines wild.

Nines buried his head into Gavin neck to stifle his screams. His hands scrambled for purchase on his back. "Oh, god.  _ Oh, fuck," _ he babbled, until he landed on a mantra of Gavin's name.

“You close, Nines?” Gavin knew he would be and, fuck, did he ever need Nines to be right at the edge because he was right there himself. Like hell was he going to come before he made Nines shake apart though.

"Oh, Gav, I am," Nines ground out, because the tension in his stomach so tight he felt like he was gonna shake apart at the seams. Then he did after a few well placed thrusts. He wanted to scream out as he came, but instead he bit Gavin's shoulder and keened in his throat.  Gavin had to bite back his own shout as he felt Nines’ teeth in his shoulder.  Everything went taut as he bowed back and buried himself as deep into Nines as he could go. He cursed in his mind as he did so, knowing that he should have asked Nines about it first...

Nines knew Gavin had to be close. "Come on, you gotta come for me," he mumbled into Gavins neck. He locked his legs around Gavin's waist for the fear that the other man may pull away. He wanted everything he could get.

“Fuck I’m-I’m-“ Gavin came with a wounded noise and buried his face into Nines’ neck with the silent permission that he could come inside. His eyes rolled and Gavin panted as he thrust through the aftershocks, trembling above Nines. 

The prince hugged Gavin tight. "Thank you," he whispered quietly. They laid together wrapped in each others arms for several minutes. Simply enjoying the afterglow and catching their breath. Nines had never felt this relaxed, he wondered how long he could keep the other man in his arms. Then he started to get cold and his skin was turning an unpleasant tacky. 

Planting a gentle kiss on the top of Gavin's head, Nines shifted slowly. "Let's get at least a little bit cleaned up. I have a few clean towels over in my painting station."

Gavin grumbled a little as Nines moved, but then sighed and allowed the other man to stand and head for the towels. Getting the view of the trickle between Nines’ thighs as he walked made his dick twitch half-heartedly again, and Gavin bit his lip at the sight. When the man walked back over, Gavin took the offered towel with a grateful smile.  “Thank you,” he murmured, suddenly rather shy.

Nines gave Gavin a soft peck. "You're more than welcome."  He cleaned up efficiently and decided to throw on his bottom layer of clothing while he was up. Then he happily flopped back down onto the couch and wrapped his arms around Gavin's midsection. "That was amazing," he cooed.

A small laugh escaped Gavin and he relaxed at the feeling of Nines' arms woven around him. Nines felt incredible, and Gavin knew he was in trouble. There was no way this was just a simple attraction and that scared him. How could something like this work?  He wasn't going to spoil the mood worrying about that right now though, Gavin wanted to cherish having Nines in his arms like this. 

"It really was," he agreed softly, running a hand down Nines' back.  Nines practically purred at the sensation. God, he was sure he would never tire of Gavin's hands on him. Maybe he was bit touch starved, but that wasn't his main concern. That was reserved for how he wanted to keep this man. He didn't do things halfway, everything in his brain was telling him to spoil Gavin. To take him and hide him away until all his hurt had faded. To kiss every one of the scars on his skin until he forgot about the pain. 

_ He wanted... _ He stopped that train of thought. He was a prince not a god, and a shitty prince at that. The clock had long since already started ticking away at their time together. 

"Gavin?" Nines started softly, "How much longer do you think you can stay with me?" He probably had about an hour before Connor was alerted that he hadn't returned to his chambers.

The slave scoffed. "I'm going to get punished no matter when I go back to Elijah's chambers now, he'll have noticed that I'm not around. I was planning on avoiding him tonight anyway, so I knew it was coming." 

When he felt Nines tense, Gavin's hand started running gentler. "This is my life, Nines. I'm Elijah's property, so he can do whatever he sees fit with me. I mean...you've seen enough of the evidence." He sighed and slid down the sofa to cuddle Nines properly. "I guess what I'm trying to say is, we have whatever time you do. How long would it be before the guards noticed you missing?"

Nines enjoyed the fuller embrace, looking into Gavin's pretty eyes. He sighed. "Around an hour, give or take," he replied as he kissed Gavin softly, "but no one will come in here with my explicit permission, bar Connor. So, you can stay in here as long as you like." He grinned as he kissed the other's nose, trying to kiss away the doubt. "You can use the secret exit to the outside under the window. I'll show you how it works when I feel like getting up again."

That got a laugh out of Gavin. "I shouldn't be surprised by the secret exit, Elijah's castle it full of them. You're...sure that no-one would come in here?" he asked, unsure. If this place could be safe, he might be able to use it as a hideaway while they were here.

The prince chuckled and then nodded, "Yeah, no would dare come in here unless they thought I was literally dying or if it's Connor looking for me. But if I'm not in here, no one is to come in here without my knowledge and explicit permission. " He laughed and beamed. "I even do my own cleaning."

Gavin's laugh descended into giggles. "Wow, you really do value your own privacy, if you willingly clean when there are servants to do exactly that." He then gave Nines a warm smile. "Do you mind if I come here through the day? Is it somewhere I could stay without attracting too much attention?"

Nines blinked at that. "I actually do a lot of my own chores. I give the cooks near heart attacks every time they catch me cooking." He snickered at the fond memories but then sobered up. He knew what Gavin was asking for and he'd gladly give it. "The door under the window is two ways, but the trick to get open from the outside is different. I'll show you that too." He peppered Gavin's face in kisses. "Just  _ please  _ don't touch anything in my painting station. I have a system."

"Don't worry, Nines. I know better than to go near anything which means a lot to a noble." He couldn't hope to count how many beatings he'd received over the years when visiting nobility had taken issue with something that Gavin had done or been around. "Okay, that sounds like a good idea." He held Nines tighter. "I don't know why you took any interest in me...but thank you. You treat me like a person rather than just look through me."

He returned the hug with just as much vigour. "I couldn't imagine being able to look through you; god, you've been the only thing I could see for a bit now. You deserve to be treated well, and even though most of the time that is not the case, it will be the case with me." Nines chuckled and shook his head a tiny bit. "Thank you for not treating me like 'that weird prince', that also means so much to me." He kissed Gavin again, still not able to get enough of him.

"Weird? What could be so weird about you?" Gavin asked seriously while kissing him again. Nines was incredible, interesting, gentle, passionate...but weird? No, that wasn't a word that he would think to associate with the prince.

"Oh, don't get me started," Nines snorted. "I'm actually quite shy and unnaturally curious, which makes me hide a lot and do remarkably stupid things. Over the years I've gotten a bit of a reputation. Connor still won't let me live down the time I ran away from a noble lady by jumping out the window when she wasn't looking."

Gavin snorted. "I love that! If she was anything like the noble ladies that are in Elijah's court, she'll have been less than subtle in her intentions?" he guessed. 

"God, she just wouldn't shut up. I don't even know what her intentions were." He was pretty sure she was just trying to get him to paint her from what he remembered, actually

"But really, you're shy? You never were with me," Gavin said curiously.

He smiled and it looked a bit awkward. "Yeah, with you though it was like I had to say hello. There was something about you that just pulled me in. I've never actually approached someone like I did you before."

Had Gavin not just been so intimate with Nines and seen him in such a vulnerable way, that sentiment would have made him suspicious. Too many years of double meanings and hidden intentions would do that to a person. He could tell it was earnest with Nines though, the prince seemed like someone with a strong distaste for political games. 

"When I saw you take such an interest in me, I freaked. I wondered what you could want with me, how you were going to try and use me in the peace talks...and I was cursing you for being so attractive," Gavin blushed, hiding his face as best he could. "It's so strange to meet someone who is actually honest."

Nines blushed at the praise but for the first time a bitter emotion entered him, the scar on his belly had a ghost of an ache. He shook his head in an attempt to clear it. "Fuck knows I'm honest to a fault." He went in to kiss Gavin again, "I apologize for causing you stress, I can understand how that could have been a bit much for you."

"You don't have to apologise for that of all things. Not when you actually had honest intentions." Gavin became uncomfortably aware of the burned emblem on his chest and nausea built up inside him. He remembered Elijah branding him in painstaking detail - it had only been a month ago, after the peace talks had been announced - and the sense of filth that washed over him was jarring. 

Elijah had taunted him that he'd never be able to escape who he belonged to, no matter what he did while they were here. It felt so wrong now that Gavin had actually shared something so emotive with Nines, a shackle that he couldn't break free of.  He squirmed free from Nines' arms desperately and made a dash to a bucket at the side of the study, emptying his stomach contents into it. 

He didn't deserve this, a slave wasn't meant for this. And Nines shouldn't be wasting his time on him.

Nines wasn't sure what was going on when Gavin made a dash to leave his arms. But the way he clenched at his stomach and made his way to the bin made the splatter and smell of bile much less of a surprise. He stood up a little slower in order to gave Gavin a second to regain his bearings before he squatted down next to the other man. Gavin looked relatively well put together for someone who just emptied their guts. Nines tentatively put a soothing hand on the others back. "You okay, Gav?" He whispered, "I didn't hurt you, did I?"

"No...No, not at all," Gavin sighed while swallowing back on the remains. The swirling in his stomach had stopped for the moment, which was encouraging. Hopefully that would be it - he didn't want to taint whatever time he had left with Nines in doing  _ this _ .  "It's not that uncommon for me, it's..." he trailed off and looked around. "Don't suppose you've got any water or something I can use for my mouth, do you?" He felt ashamed to ask, but this wasn't somewhere he was familiar with. This was Nines' private hideaway. Gavin didn't want to go digging around in anything he wasn't meant to.

"I think I do," Nines stood up and wandered to where he kept his painting things. And low and behold there was a bucket of clean water. He fumbled around for a clean glass and eventually found one. He filled it and walked back, "this should do, uh, but don't drink it. Just do a swish with it."

"Thanks," Gavin grumbled shyly, taking a moment to compose himself again before looking up at Nines. "How much longer do you have before someone comes looking for you?"

Nines looked out the window, then back to Gavin and sighed. "Probably sooner than I'd like." He kissed Gavin on the cheek gently before going on. "Let me show you how that escape door works." Standing up, he offered Gavin a hand.

Gavin took it and fetched his pants, slipping back into them as he came to join Nines by the window. "Okay so how does this fancy escape work then?"

The prince grinned and gave his arm a flourish. "I'm glad you asked," he snickered. "Well, to your amazement, you just take this knot in the wood, press in and do a quarter turn to the left and  _ voila!"  _ The door clicked and opened just a tiny bit, enough that there was a tiny whistle of wind.

A raised eyebrow showed Gavin's thoughts on the escape route. "Okay, that's subtle. What about from the other side though?"

"The other side, to the left when looking at the castle. There's a small potted plant and underneath it is a panel that you open and turn the key until you hear a click. About half a turn." Nines closed the door again and turned to face Gavin. "I hope to see you again. But for now we should probably get dressed."

"Yeah..." Gavin didn't want to risk them being found, but he really didn't want to leave Nines either. Just one night with the prince and already Gavin wanted more. It was so dangerous...but he felt things with Nines that he had thought were just fantasy before.  He reluctantly went to where their clothes had been discarded and picked up his tunic, throwing it back on and at made himself look presentable again - or at the very least look like he hadn't been fucking the prince of a foreign country. If ever there was a quick way to get himself skewered on a sword, this was it. 

"Hey, Nines?"

The prince finished pulling on his shirt, turning looked at Gavin while he finished tying it. "Yes, Gavin?"

Gavin's cheeks flushed a little. "I want to see you again," he whispered, daring to let his wants be known.

Nines blinked and beamed at the shy words. "The feeling is very much mutual." He closed the distance between them and gently grabbed Gavin’s face, pulling him to an incredibly beautiful kiss.

The slave melted at feeling Nines' lips connect with his own so delicately, and couldn't help himself as he fisted his hands back into Nines' shirt. "Fuck..." he breathed in awe when they parted, wincing a little when he realised just what he'd said.

"Fuck, indeed," Nines whispered. He wrapped his hands around Gavin's and smiled brightly. He opened his mouth to speak but the sound of knocking exploded into the room. Both men jumped apart in panic. 

"Nines? Are you in there?" The regal voice of Connor called out. Fuck, fuck,  _ fuck!  _ They'd run out of time.  Gavin's eyes widened and he headed, quickly but quietly, for the still open exit, deftly ducking out to escape outside; but not without stealing one last kiss from Nines as the prince bent down to check that he'd made it out safely. 

He then flashed Nines a soft smile before vanishing into the night.


	5. The Harsh Reality

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, remember how you guys were given the heads up that the abuse in this fic is going to get more vicious and apparent as time goes on? You're about to get a good idea of what shit Gavin has to go through at Elijah's hands here. It really isn't pretty, and it's going to get at lot worse as we work through the fic. Elijah is a true monster in this AU.

Nines waited until the door clicked closed, his hand touching his lips before he sighed before he sprung into action. He grabbed a book from the shelf, ran his hands into some paint, and then went to the door. Opening with a bit more force than necessary, he was greeted with his brother and private guard. "What can I do for you, Connor?" 

Connor looked at him and then smiled. "I was just worried. You guard stated you had not returned to your room for a while now." He smiled sheepishly. "I wouldn't normally bother you, but with our visitors, I felt he needed to do so." 

The prince shrugged. "Yeah, sorry I was painting out in the courtyard and then got distracted and came up here. Sorry to worry you." 

"As long as you're safe. We have a big day tomorrow, you should probably head to bed. Goodnight, Nines," Connor said with a wave and turned to leave. 

"Goodnight, Connor." He then watched as his brother walked away.

Nines took one last look into his study and to the door under the window before he made his way towards his chambers. A warm bath later, he was asleep and dreaming of Gavin.

Nines had told his guard to have him woken a bit early. As always he was obeyed, which meant his curtains were drawn just before the sun was to come up. "Good Morning, Nines. What's the occasion for the early start?" His domestic maid asked, or as Nines liked to call her, Mum - she was the one who had raised him, after all.

He smiled at Rose as he climbed out of bed. "Oh, nothing really, Mum: just planning on giving Luther another scare." 

Rose chuckled. "You and your cooking. I swear." She grabbed him a change of clothes and gestured towards the bathroom. "Come on, then. I've got something a little less fancy picked out for you."

Grabbing the clothes, Nines gave Rose a familial kiss on her cheek. "I don't know what I'd do without you." 

She swatted at him with a snort. "Burn the castle down, that's what. Go get cleaned up." 

Nines did so with a smile. Once he was freshened and changed, his bed had been made with Rose having left a note wishing him a good day on the bed. That woman had practically raised him and Nines very much loved her for that; her son Adam was close to his only friend and by extension his brother.

He snuck past the guards and made his way to the kitchen. "Luther! I'm making sweets!" Nines announced, upon entering. 

"Dear Lord, save us all," Luther stage whispered to the heavens. 

The prince gasped as he put on an apron. "I have only caught the kitchen on fire once and I was eleven." 

Luther sighed. "Wash your hands, Prince Nines. You know where the ingredients are." 

"Of course," Nines beamed as he grabbed a bag of flour and got to work. His treat should be done by lunchtime, and Nines was singing a soft tune to himself as a watched the cookies and apple tarts bake. 

"You seem like you're in a good mood, Prince Nines," came the soft voice of Kara, Luther's wife and sous chef. 

Nines halted his singing and turned around. "That might be because I am." 

She was kneading the dough for some bread nearby and smiled at him. "Any reason why, or just because?" 

That excuse was already made up. "The peace talks are a bright glimmer of hope. I am excited at the potential end of the war." 

Kara nodded at him in understanding. "As am I, Your Highness." 

He made a noise of agreement while pulling the cookies from the oven. They were perfect. As he put them to cool, he offered them out. "Would you like one, Kara?" 

"Once they have cooled," she answered with a smile. 

"Please don't poison my wife, Prince Nines," Luther called out from the other side. 

Nines pulled out the tarts as well with a gasp, affronted. "I would never."

After a few minutes of cooking, along with Kara and Luther's approval, Nines had a small sack of treats for a special someone. Now came the task of finding the man he was enraptured with.

* * *

Gavin made it safely out of that wing of the castle and drifted around for a couple of hours, trying his best to avoid catching any attention before weighing up his options. He really wasn't keen to find a cold corner of the castle to sleep in, and it was probably late enough not that Elijah would be sleeping. He just hoped that his assumption was right. 

As he managed to drift back to the guest wing, Gavin soon found himself being grabbed by the neck and tossed into a small side chamber. He spun onto his back and stared up, panting, to which he found Elijah staring at him icily. 

"Rather late for an evening stroll, is it not, Gavin?" he sneered, twirling a knife idly in his hand. Gavin's eyes never left it as Elijah's gaze never wavered. "I can only assume that you are reporting back so late because you have something of use to pass on?" 

The downed man flinched. "N-No...I've not found anything that you can use against King Connor for the talks." He was doing his damnedest not to become a pawn or a fall guy for Elijah's schemes in these talks, but his King was in an even more ruthless mindset than normal. A beating was something Gavin was braced for - the knife had him worried. 

Elijah sighed in disappointment and walked over to Gavin, pausing for a second before kicking him violently in the chin. Gavin's head snapped back viciously and he was instantly seeing stars when it hit the ground, leaving him dazed. "Maybe I wasn't clear enough in my first marking of who you belong to, Gavin. A reminder is clearly in order."

By the next morning, Gavin was groaning through the haze of a rough awakening, his head still pounding and full of cotton wool (somehow, he had no idea how that worked). He instantly felt hands on his body and jolted, trying to get away before screaming in pain. 

"Whoa, whoa! Gavin, it's me!" 

Gavin gasped through the pain as he opened his eyes, finding a familiar face. "Rupert? Fucking hell, man, you know how I get if I feel anyone touching me after that fucktard's had a session." 

The younger man winced at him and grimaced in apology. "Sorry, Gavin, but you're in a real mess this time. I didn't want to wait until you were fully awake before getting to work on patching you up. At least only one thing should be visible." 

"One...?" Gavin groaned as he remembered the vicious beating and engraving job Elijah had done the night before. Thank fuck years of this abuse meant that he had a high pain threshold and could keep a good facade on for when he needed to be out and about. "Fucking hell..." He then looked down and saw the bloody bandages over his chest. "Crap, how bad is it?" 

"Bad enough that you're going to need to change them through the day," Rupert told him with a tight expression. 

"Great...where else did he get me?" Gavin asked through a hiss as he tried to sit up. 

"You've got two incredible bruises - one on your chin and one on your right forearm. I thought your arm was broken when I saw it." Oh, yeah. From the kick and where Elijah had stomped on him when he was carving into his chest to get Gavin to stop squirming... 

Nope, stop thinking about that. He didn't need to be reliving that now when he had to stick to his duties, lest Gavin would earn a worse beating from Elijah all over again. "How long have I got before I'm going to get a second-round?" he asked seriously, knowing Elijah wouldn't hesitate to dish out more. 

"Maybe another hour? But I can't call it, sorry Gavin." 

"Don't worry about it, I appreciate you patching me up a bit. Keep your head down today so that Elijah doesn't work out you were involved, yeah?" he suggested gravely, to which Rupert nodded at him sadly.

"You know I will." Gavin offered him a tentative smile before taking stock of all the aches and pain across his body. Yep, Elijah had got him good this time. While Gavin could hide the giant fuck-off bruise on his arm, and the bandages on his chest were now tight and thick enough that they almost acted like a support on their own, there was no hiding the damage to his chin. How the fuck could he see Nines like _ this _? 

Not that he should be seeing the Prince in such a public setting anyway, there was no way they could pass off so many casual meetings. But just seeing the man would be a big comfort after the thrashing he'd taken, even if Gavin felt like he couldn't speak to him. 

He could stick to the background, making sure not to be noticeable but keep snatching glances of Nines. Just seeing him would make things easier, even if he ached to touch him...

But not like this, not while he was a human tapestry that showed the exemplification of a slave, and not while he was at risk of drawing Nines' into Elijah's games... He wouldn't put Nines in danger by getting mixed up in his nightmare. Before Gavin could truly get used to the pains, he and Rupert were summoned to accompany Elijah to the day's peace talks. It was the last thing Gavin needed, but he didn't have much of a choice.

A slave was at the whim of their master, after all.

* * *

Nines didn't get the chance to find Gavin because as soon as he took the second turn away from the kitchen the captain of the palace guard found him. 

"Connor wants you in the meeting halls," Captain Allen said simply. 

The prince wanted to groan but smiled instead. "I will head there right away," he said before offering the bag of treats. "Would you like a cookie or an apple tart, Fletch?" 

"Absolutely," Allen smiled as he took the offered treat, "Have a good day, Nines." The thank you was implied. 

Nines turned around and tucked the treats in a cabinet in the kitchen before putting on his 'Royal Advisor' face, setting off to work. He noticed Gavin at the edge of the meeting room, stealing glances only a short while after the talks began. The visible bruise on his chin was alarming. He had to ask himself if he had done that by accident and quickly decided that it was impossible. It had to have been none other than King Elijah.

That man could not be trusted - Nines concluded he needed to have a conversation with Connor about keeping a closer eye on the noble. He knew that he needed to make sure there weren't any more serious injuries, but it looked like it would be a while before he could get the chance. Unease rolled in his stomach.

Gavin hated standing around Elijah in meetings, but the one saving grace is that the man never wanted him that close. Always at the other side of the room, but always within sight. Those were the rules. Rupert was one of the other servants in the room, and Elijah summoned him over after a couple of hours. Fear surged through Gavin, hoping that Elijah hadn’t twigged that Rupert had been the one to patch him earlier, but when Rupert came over quietly, his fears were eased.

“You need to go,” he whispered. “Elijah wants you to return to your ‘daily duties’.” 

So, looking for anything that Elijah could exploit and stay out of the way. He would happily do the second, the first - not a fucking chance. With a curt nod to Rupert, he left, knowing where he wanted to go and hide. Getting there in daylight though was going to be tricky. Still, at least it was Nines’ realm. Hopefully, that would be some minor comfort.

The talks went on much longer that day, with Gavin disappearing about halfway through. It seemed that King Elijah and Connor were both getting less willing to compromise, but at around dinner they finally called it a day. They were supposed to retire to the dining hall for a formal supper, but Nines snuck away. He dropped by the kitchen and informally ate dinner there instead. Nines was done with being a noble for the day.

He grabbed the bag of sweets, shoved a few dinner rolls in there and then headed to his study. He was really hoping Gavin would be waiting for him there. Once inside, he locked the door behind him. Nines surveyed the room and once he realized Gavin was nowhere to be seen he let out a sad sigh. He really had been looking forward to seeing him. 

Despondent, Nines went over to his art station and put the treats down on the desk, after which he then started the work of rolling up his sleeves. He needed to paint or he was going to lose his mind.

Curled up on the floor behind the sofa, Gavin had jolted awake at the sound of the door opening and kept hidden behind it until he managed to get a good look at the figure which had emerged. Once it became evident it was Nines, Gavin was undecided about revealing himself. What would the prince think at seeing him like this? Gavin instead watched Nines painting for a few minutes and realised that the prince was incredibly restless. He'd looked uncomfortable through all of what he'd seen in that meeting and Gavin soon twigged that he was using this an outlet for his frustration.

It made him feel even worse about being in Nines' space, and he elected to try and make a stealthy escape. The window was not an option since Nines' painting station was too close, so it left only trying to head for the main door. He was too quick in standing however and gasped when he agitated the grooves in his chest. Fucking Elijah...

Nines heard the noise: someone was in his study. He didn't have to look behind his to note that they were probably around the sofa. Pretending to look for more paint, he pulled a knife from one of the drawers. Nines didn't hesitate as he turned around and threw the knife: which sunk in the wall threatening close to the intruder. It was only after a tense second that Nines realised it was Gavin.

Gavin's years of dodging knives from Elijah had granted him the reflexes to bend back automatically out of the way, even if the knife wasn't truly a threat - but then, after a second to get over the shock, Gavin's instinct to run from the danger kicked in. Too many memories of Elijah's sick games roared forward and he scrambled for the door, frantically trying to get it open. He couldn't stay here, he had to get away. He couldn't leave himself an easy target. Once the bolt was undone Gavin fled without a backwards glance.

Nines had to let the world catch up to him. _ "Oh, fuck!" _ he said as he scrambled towards the door. "Gavin!" he dared to call out once, but the other man didn't hear him. Nines' hands went to his hair in frustration. "God-fucking-damnit!" he cursed. He knew what a panic attack looked like, and Gavin had just fallen victim of a bad one. "Oh, god. What have I done?"

Part of him knew his response wasn't unreasonable, but he had promised he'd never hurt Gavin and it took him not even a full day to break that promise. Once he calmed down he unrolled his sleeves and slowly started his search for the other man.


	6. Raw Wounds

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> **Skye: Just to give everyone a small heads up, updates might be a little sporadic as Stu has major exams coming up, and as this is a joint project we're working together on the editing. So we'll try and keep it to one a day or one every two days at worst until they've passed!**

Nines had been searching for a while, at least two hours before he got stopped.  "Prince Nines?" Kara asked as she was passing by with a plate. "Are you okay?" 

He immediately went into prince mode, even though he didn't exactly need to. "Ah, yes. I'm just getting some walking in." 

Kara smiled hesitantly, "Okay, have a good stroll." Then she was on her way again.  He sighed as he returned to his search, then it struck him. Sometimes he played hide and seek with Alice when she would visit the castle: he should check out some of her hiding spots. 

In his frantic state, Gavin hadn't known where to go. Years of skulking around in Elijah's castle had given him enough experience to know how to keep to the shadows and avoid guards as best he could, but he was in a foreign land. That meant he had no idea of where was safe and where was not. 

What was the best chance he had when everything could be a danger? 

Eventually his thoughts had led him back to the wing of the castle that Nines' study was in, but he didn't dare go back in there. Not after what had happened an hour ago. He instead went into one of the other chambers, which Gavin saw was a storage room for barrels of wine. At least he wasn't likely to be found here, it looked like it hadn't been entered in a while based off the dust coating everything. 

The downside was that it was bitterly cold. But cold meant safety, so Gavin huddled in behind some of the barrels at the back of the room and tried to curl in on himself as much as his wounds would allow. The carving in his chest was getting worse though, and Gavin could feel it still bleeding steadily. A quick look under his shirt confirmed that it had soaked through the bandages. The feeble stitches that Rupert had made earlier had no doubt torn in his panicked run. 

Sighing in resignation, Gavin tried to get some sleep. Anything to get his mind off the pain and cold...

After another hour Nines was close to where he started and was just about to give up. "Fuck, I'll just check the wine cellar and then call it a night," he whispered to himself. As he opened the door to the cellar, he shivered against the chilly air. He'd never liked this room. After walking around for a moment, that was when he saw Gavin dozing in a corner. He was clearly shivering and spots of blood could be seen through his shirt.

Nines swallowed around the lump in his throat and approached the man slowly as he went down to his knees. "Gavin?" He called out, trying to rouse the man without scaring him too much.

Even that small sound had Gavin jumping, he couldn't afford to be a heavy sleeper as Elijah's servant. It was something all of them had developed in his servitude.  He jolted awake and backed himself into the corner as much as he could, mind taking a second to realise where he was and who he was with. When he saw it was Nines, his emotions went through so many loops that it almost made him dizzy. He wanted desperately to be held by the prince, but the memory of that knife from earlier was seared into his mind. At that moment, he couldn't help but wonder if he'd judged Nines completely wrong - what if what he'd seen was a glimpse of his true character? 

A shiver caught him off guard and he crumpled into on himself again, trying to feebly shield himself. From the cold, the pain, Nines...everything. He just wanted it all to go away.  Nines felt like the world's biggest asshole, but he was determined. He needed to fix the damage that he had done. 

"Hey, Gav. It's just me." He scooted a bit closer. "I'm so fucking sorry about earlier. You just scared the piss out of me." He swallowed as his hand went impulsively to one of his scars. "I scare easy: I used to be a soldier, so I just panicked. I would have never did that if I had known it was you. Oh, god, I'm so sorry."

Gavin's eyes drifted up at the tone, and then down as he saw where Nines' hand was resting. He remembered it was where one of Nines' scars lay, underneath his shirt. Despite that, he wasn't so sure that he could just open himself up to Nines again. Not that easy. His eyes went back to Nines' face, but they stayed away from his blue orbs. Gavin couldn't look at them right now, he was terrified of what he'd see.

Nines swallowed. The silence was a clear mark of rejection. A bite of emotion crawled at his heart.  "Hey," he started softly, "I understand if you don't believe me. But  _ please  _ let me help you. You're bleeding and I am willing to bet that your freezing."  Nines scooted a tad closer and offered his arm in a silent invitation. If Gavin didn't take it he was going to leave and get Rose to patch him up - if he asked her, she'd keep it a secret.

Weighing up the options in his mind, Gavin was at war with himself. Was Nines someone he could trust right now? With the way he handled a knife, Gavin wasn't a hundred percent sure but he didn't really have a lot of options at that moment. With a shaking hand, Gavin grasped Nines' arm but kept his eyes down. Nines knew what this meant and he bit back a sigh of relief. "Okay, I'm gonna pick you up then," he warned before he stood up and scooped the smaller man into his arms. "You okay?"

A small nod was all the answer Nines got, and despite how hard his heart was pumping, Gavin nestled slightly into Nines' chest. The warmth and familiarity was mildly calming.  Nines held Gavin to his chest, even as the voice in his head wouldn't shut up about how he'd fucked this up beyond repair. Broken something so new and fragile with nothing more than an impulsive action. 

Fuck, was that just a running theme in his life. 

He shook his head and walked towards the door. Nines timed the guards walking past and made a break for his study.  Once he was inside the room he took a deep breath and looked down at Gavin. "Please, don't be alarmed but I'm going to walk us through a bookshelf," he said as he walked them over to the bookshelf in question and clicked the code to make a small stairwell appear, which led to his bedroom.  He clicked the door closed behind him and clutched Gavin to his chest as they climbed upwards. 

Once they were upstairs, he checked the room and cleared it before making a beeline to the bathroom. Gavin watched the path that Nines took through the study and up the stairs, casting a vague glance at the bedroom. It was ornate and well furnished, but not over the top. Just like the study downstairs. "I'm going to put you down now, okay?" Nines stated as he gently laid Gavin down against the wall next to the tub, to which the other man gave out a long sigh.

He didn't know why Nines was wasting his time on him. He wasn't worth it, surely Nines realised that by now? Or maybe he just wanted somewhere more private to finish the job? Whatever Nines had in store for him, there wasn't much he could do now.

"Let me take this off," Nines cooed gently as he stripped Gavin of his shirt, but he stopped short as he seen the further extent of the injuries. A dark bruise on his arm and he had bled through the bandages on his chest. Nines grit his teeth and stood up to grab his med kit. Once he sat back down he pulled out a pair of scissors, to which  Gavin flinched a bit. 

"Hey, it's okay. I know what I'm doing," Nines reassured before he then cut the spoiled dressings away, to which his eyes widened and his blood boiled. The brand had been recarved. He could see infection setting in and the crude stitches had popped out in places. 

Grabbing a towel and a bucket, he looked up to warn Gavin. "This isn't going to feel nice and I'm sorry," he apologised as he started the process of wiping the blood away.  Gavin stayed mute as he watched Nines working, taking in everything with a sharp eye. He was just waiting for the other shoe to drop, but when it didn't, he was beginning to wonder if Nines really  _ was  _ trying to help him. The cleaning of his chest was painful, but nothing he wasn't used to. In all honesty, it was a distraction from the intense cold still in his bones. 

Once cleaned enough, Nines pulled out a salve and smeared it on. It should numb the pain and start to ease out the infection. Once done, he surveyed the damage once again. "It's gonna need new stitches. Are you okay with me doing that?" 

"Might as well, it's gonna need it," Gavin mumbled back to Nines. "Or I'm just gonna keep bleeding through every shirt I've got. Not that I have many," he scoffed bitterly.

"Vinegar," Nines said simply. "Vinegar gets blood out of clothes." His attention didn't say on Gavin as he prepped the needle and thread. 

Another bitter laugh tore from Gavin. "I don't have the luxury of vinegar, and I'd probably get a knife through the hand if I stole some. Elijah might even wash the wounds out with it for maximum pain."

Involuntarily, Nines chewed on his lip as he hovered above the cuts. "Ready?"

The slave's eyes were hollow as he finally met Nines'. "Go ahead, this isn't going to hurt anything like half the shit he's done to me."

Nines sighed as he put the first stitch in, working quickly and with a practiced hand as he closed up the wound. It looked as good as it was gonna be with the inflamed skin and small trickles of blood, to which he dabbed at the wound again and then applied a bit more salve. Then, and only then, did he lean in to offer Gavin some physical comfort.

Gavin's heart lurched at Nines coming close, and really didn't know whether to think of the man as safe or not. But his feelings for Nines were making it so hard to just shove him away... Against his better judgement, he reached out and touched Nines gently. Despite everything, that small contact was comforting. Nines took the soft touch as permission and buried his face into Gavin's neck. Fuck, he wanted to cry. He was frustrated at himself, at Kamski, at this star-crossed love story he had found himself in. "I want to kill him," Nines whispered. "King or not. I just want to make it to where he can't hurt you anymore."

"Not worth it, not with all your brother's efforts to bring peace," Gavin told him sadly. "Besides, I'm just a nobody. A figure haunting the halls, no-one of note. I've never been anyone, certainly not someone worth starting a war over."

"There's already a war," Nines simply said. "Not to mention my brother's too much of an optimist. He's not seen the horrors of this conflict. Kamski doesn't want peace, he wants profit and power." He had to pause to take a calming breath or he was going to end up back in the battlefield, lost in his memories. "So I wouldn't be starting a war, per say, just extending this one. And for you? I would do it."

“Well, you’ve got the measure of Elijah pretty well. You’re right not to trust him,” Gavin replied honestly. “The guy’s a snake, always has been and always will be, and y ou sound like you’re talking from experience,” he noted. “You’ve got skills with a knife.” It wasn’t an accusation or a question - just a point of observation. If Nines didn’t want to elaborate, he didn’t have to.

"I know a snake when I see one," Nines said simply before he leaned back and looked Gavin in the eyes. "Gavin, I fought on the front lines of this war for around five years." 

The admission caught Gavin by surprise. Nines, a soldier? For five  _ years _ ? He couldn’t believe that, not for what he’s seen of Nines personally. Except that little knife throw was all the evidence he needed. He definitely wasn’t the only one with ghosts from their past it seemed. Shaking his head, Nines decided to change the subject. "Would you like to take a bath?" he asked gently.

Gavin looked up at it hesitantly, but a bath sounded enticing. “Yeah...yeah, that sounds good,” he replied sheepishly, looking down pointedly. He still wasn’t sure how to react around Nines.

Nines smiled as he stood up. "Of course. Let me just get it ready for you." He walked over to the bath and opened the small stove under the tub and lit fire to a single log, before he pumped the tub full and throwing in some oils. It was ready a few minutes later he smiled at Gavin. "It's all ready for you. Do you need help getting in?"

The slave shook his head, slowly getting to his feet as the warmth emanating from the tub behind him called like a siren. His eyes took in the depth of warm water before turning back to Nines. “Thank you,” he whispered, still wondering why Nines was doing this for him.  Did he not see that he wasn’t worth it? This was just his everyday life - okay, these wounds were a fair bit worse than usual, he was rarely in this much of a mess - it wasn’t something Nines should get mixed up in. 

“Why are you doing this?” Gavin wondered out loud. “Why waste this time and effort on me?”

Nines chewed on his lip and his eyes fell to the floor. "I like you, a lot You're worthy of someone caring for and  _ about  _ you." He sighed, closing the distance between them and caressed Gavin's cheek, silently asking for a kiss.

A tear slid down as Nines’s hand glided across Gavin’s cheek. He couldn’t understand why...but he still leant into the hand, relishing the warmth it offered. Gavin's posture relaxed slightly, finally coming to the decision the Nines was safe, and he looked at the prince hopefully.  Nines silently wiped away the tear that fell down Gavin's cheek before he leant in to place a reverent kiss on the smaller man's lips. They kissed for several sweet moments, before it had to break for air. 

Nines smiled as he looked at Gavin's beautiful eyes. "We should get you in the bathtub and start getting you warmed up."  A small nod came from Gavin and he turned to look at the water again before silently undoing his pants and letting them fall to the ground. 

He wanted to ask Nines to stay, but that was him being incredibly selfish. The prince no doubt had so much to do. “What will you be doing?” he settled on instead.

The other man looked between the door and the bath before answering with a smile. "Whatever you want me to." He liked giving Gavin the luxury of choice.

“You must have something that requires your attention?” This wasn’t like the study, it was Nines’ chambers and someone could walk in at any moment (assuming it was like Elijah’s castle). If he were to be caught with Gavin...

Nines shook his head. "Only you," he reassured while giving a soft smile, "but if you would rather I can wait outside."

“Stay, please.” The words leapt out of Gavin's traitorous mouth, unbidden. Once they were out, however, he didn’t shy away from the truth behind them. He did want Nines to stay there. “As long as it is safe?”

"I'm only ever visited by Rose once in a while, and she won't come into the bathroom if I'm in here. So, yes. We are completely safe here," Nines smiled as he stole another kiss

Gavin nodded and stepped into the bath. Once he was seated, however, he sized up the space left behind him and blushed. He wanted Nines there with him, but that was probably pushing things too far...  Nines rolled his eyes playfully at the other man. "Would you like me to join you Gavin?"

A defiant streak rose through Gavin at the tone and question - he took that fire and ran with it. It was a welcome return after having spent most of the day licking his wounds. “Do as you will,” he said plainly and moved to sit back. He’d already bothered Nines enough. If the prince were to join him, it would only be if he wanted it. Not because Gavin asked for it, because at that moment he was sure Nines would do it even if he didn’t want to.

Nines swallowed and got the vibe that he wasn't welcome. The last thing he wanted to do was to make Gavin uncomfortable in his delicate state.  "Okay," he said softly and gave Gavin a small bow before he retreated out of the bathroom. He closed the door behind him and let out a soft sigh: that could have gone better. Then again what was this thing that they had gotten mixed up in?

Gavin watched Nines go and sighed sadly. He’d really hoped that Nines would stay, but it wasn’t too unsurprising. A quick look down at the stitches in his chest had Gavin snarling in disgust. No wonder Nines didn’t remain with that scarlet reminder of who he belonged to on his chest.  He started rubbing against the wound hard, taking a measure of relief when it started bleeding again. Just further evidence of how much Elijah had broken him. Silent tears began to streak down his face again. He wouldn’t waste the water at least, but once he’d got rid of the worst of his chill, he would go. Nines clearly was busy after all.

Nines was a little frustrated and frankly devastated. He didn't know what Gavin really wanted from him. He shook his head and walked over to his desk, taking a seat at the desk and starting a quick, frustrated sketch.

Maybe,  _ maybe,  _ Gavin had only wanted him for the sex. Now that part was over, Nines was just an annoying person with a white knight complex.  He wanted to cry, but he wouldn't. Suddenly Nines didn't feel like drawing and got up, making a quick trip to the study to grab that bag of sweets he had left on his desk. He was grabbing a few as he walked back into his room and returned to his desk, waiting.

Once he’d stopped shivering, Gavin heaved a long sigh and stood, drying himself off as best he could. He didn’t want to soil the towel with his blood, that would cause too many headaches for Nines in explaining it. Or at the very least, more than he already had.  He sighed as he looked at the bloodied shirt before throwing it and the rest of his clothes back on. Hopefully he could make it back to Elijah’s wing without anyone stopping to ask too much, he’d hate to be forced to show off that damn brand to explain the blood. Taking a final deep breath and brushing away his tears, Gavin steadied himself for what he was about to do. 

This is why he didn’t let himself want anything - he was a slave, he wasn’t meant to have anything like this. He stepped out into the bedroom and spied Nines looking mildly angry. 

His heart sank further and it was taking everything not to let the tears fall again. “Thank you for all you assistance, Your Highness, but I won’t be a burden on you any longer,” Gavin said sorrowfully. “I’ll leave you be. I...” He clenched his fist to will himself to keep going. “I won’t bother you again. But I thank you...for giving me a short escape.”

_ "Your Highness?" _ Nines blinked and then the tears finally broke free. He let out a sad laugh and wiped his face quickly. "God, I should have known, the only burden here is circumstance." He stood up, not bothering to hide his emotions any longer. Gavin had seen him bared more than anyone else ever has. "At least take a cookie or a tart. I've been toting them around all day since I baked for them you this morning. Please," he said as he offered the bag.

Gavin turned his attention to the treats and felt his heart threaten to burst. He walked over and eyed them up in wonder, feeling so unworthy yet again. A laugh mixed with a sob tore from his throat as he picked one of the cookies up and turned it in his hand. “You did something I didn’t think was possible,” he said in a whisper. “You made me feel alive. I’ll always remember that...however long I have left.”

Nines let words soak in. At first he felt as if they had suicidal intention, but that didn't feel right. No, Gavin was genuinely afraid for his life. He put the bag of sweets down and stood up, walking the two steps over to Gavin and wrapping the man in a crushing hug. He cursed himself for not asking permission, but he was so afraid of scaring him away again.  Nines hands clutched at the back of Gavin's shirt and he buried his face into the crook of his neck as he continued to let a few tears escape. "Please stay with me a little longer," he choked out, "Please, let me keep you safe, even if it's just for now."

The slave was stunned by the hug but it was enough to make the dam break, and he finally gave in. His own tears spilled over again as he grasped back at Nines desperately. “I don’t want to drag you into my broken life, Nines. You shouldn’t have to know the nightmare I live,” he admitted painfully.  “I’ve had a taste of what exists beyond it now and I don’t know if I can go back. I...I want something for the first time, and I’m terrified for what that means.” The words came tumbling out, Gavin didn’t know how to stop them. He just wanted the safety and warmth Nines offered.

Nines just let them cry for a few moments, both of them sobbing for the unfair deck of cards that circumstance had dealt them. They were stealing a moment to let out all that pent up pain. How could fate be so cruel as to give each of them a chance at something like love if it was only going to rip away all too soon? 

"Gavin," Nines barely whispered, "let's just..." He paused to swallow back a sob, "Let's just forget about out there for a while. In here we can we can just be together for a bit."

The other man nodded into Nines' chest, painfully aware of the brand on his chest from how tight they were embracing. Having a sudden thought, Gavin pulled back and stared at Nines' shirt in dismay. "Shit! Fuck!" There were now spots of blood on Nines' shirt from where it had seeped through Gavin's own. "Dammit...sorry," he muttered, before sighing deeply.  "Forgetting about the world out there for a while sounds good," Gavin he said tired, giving Nines an exhausted and shy smile. It sounded like heaven, actually.

Looking down, Nines spied there was blood on his shirt, which meant that Gavin was still bleeding. The prince smiled down at him and kissed Gavin's soft smile gently. "Let's get you patched up a little bit more, then we can find some way to forget the world I'm sure." 

He took off the bloody shirt and tossed in onto his desk, before grabbing Gavin's hand and leading them to the bathroom once again.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Stu: I do have exams! Finals week is approaching and I have a 15 page lit review to write! But yeah, I'm trying to keep up but yeah a bit sporadic. But only for a few weeks then I'm done!


	7. Let's Forget

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry, guys. We aren’t intending on making these chapters so long, honest, but we’ve been discovering that it’s qhite difficult to find natural stopping points. 
> 
> With that being said, hope you all enjoy the next entry!

Gavin went with Nines easily, feeling a strange sense of deja vu as they re-entered the bathroom. "I think we've been here before," he joked tiredly, hissing when the shirt got caught in the torn skin as he tried to lift it. "Damn..."

Nines giggled and shook his head. "Yes, I do believe we have." After Gavin had taken off his shirt Nines frowned. The stitches looked rough even though they had been done not even an hour ago. None of them needed to be replaced, a bit of pressure, some more salve and a new bandage would do the trick. Nines kissed Gavin's cheek, guided him to sit down and within a few minutes both Gavin's chest and arm were taken care of. The prince offered Gavin a hand and smile. "Come on, Gav. Let's go forget."

Taking it with a grateful smile of his own, Gavin allowed Nines to lead him back through to the bedroom and blushed at how loudly his stomach growled. Food hadn't really been something he'd thought about that day. With everything else going on. "Ummm...."

"Oh, it is about dinner time, isn't it?" Nines said with a soft laugh. "Let me go get you something other than cookies to eat." He then paused briefly as he remembered something. "Unless you just want rolls? I brought you some rolls."

Gavin laughed at the statement. "Were you-did you have this all planned for me? I...Thank you." He was touched but didn't really know how to express it beyond his stuttering and furious blush.

Nines grinned in response. "Well, I figured you might not have had a chance to eat, and eating sweets on an empty stomach is a recipe for getting sick."

"I don't really eat that much, I don't get the chance," Gavin smiled while looking for the rolls. "I'm normally that busy with whatever Elijah has me doing that food just becomes something so that I don't starve."

The prince felt his eye twitch: his opinion of King Elijah just keeps decreasing. It wasn't that hard to make sure your servants and workers had time to eat. Maybe he was biased because he knew most of the castle staff by name, _ but still. _ "Well, you don't have to worry about that right now," he smiled and leaned down to give Gavin another soft kiss. "I'm going to find us some clean shirts."

"Okay." Gavin wandered over and found a roll to munch on, enjoying the softness of the bread. It was much better than anything he got to experience back home. And despite knowing it probably wouldn't be good for him, he picked up one of the cookies and took a large bite. The accompanying groan of delight was obscene, and it was only afterwards that Gavin thought where he was. His face went scarlet, but that didn't stop him from taking another bite of the sweet piece of heaven.

Nines giggled as he approached with a plain shirt for Gavin and a lounge one for himself. "I'm glad you like them. Luther is always telling me I'm terrible at baking.

Gavin turned to him, looking scandalised. "Wait, you made these? How could anyone say that you are awful at baking after having tasted _ these _?!"

Turning scarlet at the praise, Nines went on. "Yes I did, and Luther is a master pastry chef. I'll have to have you try one of his sometime. He's mainly still bitter that I caught the kitchen on fire all those years ago."

That had Gavin giving Nines a raised eyebrow. "I'm going to guess that was an accident? How the hell did you manage that?"

Nines scratched the back of his neck. "Well, it was an accident; I learned the hard way how not to put out a grease fire. Plus, I was eleven."

"Hah, so that was what, 15 years-ish ago? Surely he'd forgive you for it now!" Gavin remembered how many scrapes he'd gotten into growing up with the other servants of Elijah's castle, and he'd been forgiven for all the fuck ups he'd made. Surely an innocent mistake by a curious prince could be let go? "Unless you did something else to earn his ire?"

_ "Ire?" _ Then it hit Nines, Gavin thought he was being serious. He snorted and shook his head. "Oh, no, you've got it all wrong. Luther is wonderful and he loves me like his kid and I return the sentiment. He's always playfully telling me about the crazy shit I've done over the years. Then again, Rose also still jokes about me burning the castle down."

Gavin smiled softly at him. "It sounds like you've got a wonderful relationship with your staff here." His tone was wistful. "Why couldn't I have been born here, in your kingdom?" Gavin then shook his head to dispel that sentiment and smirked at the prince. "Let's hear about some of this 'crazy shit' then, I'd love to know what you've been up to."

"Let's get comfy, shall we?" Nines grinned as he took a seat on his bed, pulled Gavin down to the bed and into a cuddle. Once they were settled, Nines started his story. "Well, there was this one time..." Then Nines launched in a small parade of stories of him being found in weird places, putting a hot pepper in a pie, the one time he painted the wall of one of the guest rooms. Listening to each story with rapt attention, Gavin couldn't help but laugh at every tale of misadventure that Nines shared. 

It made him sad that he didn't really have much to share in return, but he did have a couple. Of when he and Chris had flour dunked Tina while she was washing clothes, flour getting into all the laundry and them all having to work together to clean it up. Or when he and Chloe used to set up a sheet on a pulley to spook visiting nobles into thinking Elijah's castle was haunted. "And let's not forget the time I swapped Elijah's suit of armour out for one lined with honey. Seeing that bastard get stung by dozens of bees was so fucking worth the beating I got after it," he grinned widely.

Nines snickered. "I'd say. That's amazingly clever." He grinned as that story reminded him of one more. "That's like the time when I was in the front lines. One of the guys had a bottle of perfume he'd gotten from a girl in the last town. After much goading we ended up dumping the whole bottle in the Platoon Sargent's kit bag - he smelled like a brothel for a whole week."

"Oh fuck!" Gavin laughed loudly. "Jesus, that would have been some scene." 

Despite knowing that it was a sensitive subject, Gavin's hand reached up to slip under Nines' shirt and run over the scar that he'd seen the prince ghost over earlier. "I'm guessing that was a few years ago now, yeah?" he asked softly, wondering if Nines would push him away for being too nosey - but he wanted to know more about Nines. About what made up the man behind the title of Prince.

"You'd think so, huh?" Nines swallowed, "No, that was at most two years ago. I only made my return from the front lines a little less than a year ago." He played with Gavin's hair as a distraction, not sure how much he wanted to talk about. But with Gavin running a delicate touch over the scar from his time on the front, he might as well. "I was active duty for five years, but I served for seven. I got shot when I was 21 and again when I was 23 and had to take a leave of absence both times." His hand went to touch Gavin's. "I only stopped being a soldier after Connor and Warren signed the most recent peace agreement."

Gavin stared at Nines in complete shock. "What the actual fuck...you're the heir to Connor's kingdom! Why would he risk you on the front lines?! Does he care about you that little that he'd gamble your life in the war?!" He shouldn't be this furious but he was, he couldn't help it.

Nines just stared at him, mouth agape. "You really think Connor sent me off?" He turned and looked at the window as he let out a sigh. "Not even close, as soon as my wounds were healed from the attack on the castle I snuck out and joined the army under a fake name. Most of the guys I served with didn't know I was even the prince." He then turned back gave a Gavin a salute. "Niles Chapman at your service." Honestly, he liked that better than Prince Richard Arkait the IX any day.

That had Gavin speechless for a few seconds. "You joined the army under a false name...? Why? And how did no-one recognise you?"

"I felt it was my duty to fight in a war that was being fought for the sake of my family. I couldn't have lived with myself if I knew people were dying in a war being fought over... people dying." He ran a hand through his hair and shook loose all his curls. "And to answer the second question, I'm shy. But hey, if someone recognized me they didn't say anything. We were all equals on the battlefield." That second part wasn't completely the truth, but it would have to do.

"Damn...You're crazy is what you are, but it shows a shit ton of courage too. I couldn't hope to do that, even if I had the chance," Gavin said quietly. While he did actually have some sword skills, they were mostly self-taught and wouldn't compare with a trained soldier. "So, Niles Chapman? Where'd that name come from?" he wondered.

Nines kissed Gavin again, a soft peck before he grinned. "Nothing too special, just that Niles is a play off of Nines and I stole Chapman from my m… the head of my domestic staff, Rose Chapman."

"Does this mean I get to learn where the nickname 'Nines' came from then?" Gavin asked with a tiny smile, not wanting to press but loving how Nines was sharing so much with him. It helped to confirm to Gavin that Nines' feelings were just as genuine as his own.

"This means I have to tell you my full name," Nines said with a dramatic groan. "My full name is Prince Richard Arkait the Ninth. I started going by just the number because I liked it the most out of the mess."

"I dunno, Elijah's name is a bigger mess. At least your full name isn't 'King Elijah Theodore Balthazar Kamski the Eleventh'." Nines snickered at the ridiculousness of King Elijah's name. "Yours is elegant, his is a clusterfuck," Gavin pointed out. "But yeah, I get Nines now. Honestly though..." he blushed a little. "You suit all your names. Nines, Richard and Niles." He paused for a second before going on. "Which one do you connect with most?"

"I love that the questions you ask are always so thought-provoking," Niles said before humming. "I think both Nines and Niles, for different reasons. If I had to pick one it would be Nines." He looked towards Gavin. "What about you? What does your full name mean?"

Gavin's face fell. "I...I don't have a full name anymore, I lost it a long time ago," he replied bitterly. "I was denied a name after my mother was executed for being a traitor to the kingdom, I'm just 'Gavin' now. I've been a Nameless for almost as long as I can remember." Having no name was the mark of the brethren of a traitor or an emblem of slavery in his country. He had the misfortune of falling into both categories.

Nines blinked at the explanation. What an odd punishment. "Oh, okay." He didn't press and smiled instead. "Gavin suits you just perfect anyway," he soothed before caressing Gavin's face and pulling him into a kiss.

A small laugh escaped Gavin as Nines kissed him, glad that he wasn't being pushed on his family history. That was...a fucking mess and half, and Gavin wasn't sure that Nines wouldn't think differently of him after learning it. He was grateful that learning of his mother's traitor branding didn't skew Nines' view of him. "Maybe if the impossible happened and I someday got free, I could decide on one again," he decided with a small smile. "It would be nice to have one for introducing myself. That probably sounds so weird to you, but even things like names are luxuries for slaves in my kingdom."

The prince ran a soothing hand down Gavin's side. "Nah, it's not that surprising. I've been in your borders before." He kissed Gavin again before going on. "Regardless of what anyone says, you are a luxury. I should know."

Gavin melted under Nines' attention and relaxed in his arms. "Fuck, Nines..." He wanted so badly to just stay here and forget about everything outside those four walls. He wanted to be Nines' and for Nines to be his. How could he be thinking that after only meeting the man a couple of days ago and first kissing him the day before?

Nines kissed Gavin between the eyebrows while smiling knowingly. "You're thinking too much." He then started to pepper kisses all around Gavin's face, determined to make the man smile and laugh freely.

It did get Gavin giggling and he purred in response, turning to steal a few snatches of Nines' lips where he could before lying back and letting Nines have his way. Not that it stopped Gavin from tilting his head up in invitation and baring his throat. Nines hummed as he kissed down to where Gavin was showing off his neck, biting and sucking a little bit like they did yesterday. What better way to forget about the world than to get lost in each other?

"Yes..." Gavin breathed out in pleasure, shifting so that he was buried under Nines' bulk. It felt like another barrier against the world, a blanket of safety, and he relished the warmth radiating from the prince. "God please, Nines, please don't stop."

Nines smiled against Gavin's neck. "I won't," he whispered as slid his hands under Gavin's shirt and started to lightly massage him. He hoped that what he was doing would feel good.

Gavin moaned softly and went limp in Nines' arms. "Fuck, that feels amazing," he whispered, eyes rolling in his head as another gasp worked free.

That was enough of an answer for Nines, his face going bright red. It did encourage him to be a bit bolder in his movements. He nibbled at Gavin's neck and slid one hand to rub at the smaller man's thighs as the other hand never stilling on his sides. Gavin's legs opened fully without a second thought and he groaned at how the extra contact meant that Nines was now lying flush against his growing erection. Wanting to feel more of Nines, Gavin's hands began to slip under the prince's shirt and ran over the warm skin there. It still felt like silk, even with all the scars.

Nines let out a soft moan at the contact. The touch was invigorating. He didn't think he could ever get enough of this wonderful man. "Oh, Gav," he groaned as he ground his hardening dick against Gavin's. The slave moaned at the contact of them together and thrust back against Nines slowly while drawing the man in for another deep kiss. His hands couldn't stay still however and began to pull Nines' shirt up and away, wanting full access to the skin beneath.

The prince broke the kiss long enough to let Gavin throw the shirt away. Then his eyes fluttered shut against the onslaught of sensation, letting Gavin run his hands up and down for a few moments before he wanted to do the same. He broke away again and started tugging at Gavin's shirt.

Gavin bent upwards just enough to let Nines pull the shirt off before he tugged him back down gently, wanting Nines to envelop him. His brand stung from the movement but he refused to acknowledge it and spoil the moment, instead of fighting Nines for dominance of a leisurely kiss. Nines hummed against Gavin's lips as he ran his hands up over every inch could. He was letting the kiss get a little sloppy as finally decided to let Gavin take the lead.

A purr escaped Gavin as he felt Nines surrender to him but he wasn't giving in this time. He wanted to feel himself speared on Nines' cock one way or another, and if that meant he had to do it himself he would. With a gentle nudge, Nines fell off him and the two started languidly kissing, Gavin's hands working at those god awful laces again. "Do you have anything we can use as slick?" he asked quietly.

"I do," Nines grinned, "I have some lotions and scented oils in the bathroom. Will that work?" He also reached down to help Gavin untie his laces again.

"Oil would be best," Gavin breathed against him. "Do you think you could grab one?" As Nines stood to get it, Gavin freed himself from his own pants and kicked them away, laying back on the bed to take himself in hand and give a few leisurely strokes. He was already fantasising about how Nines would feel. Nines found the oil and quickly removed the rest of his clothes before he returned. 

When he walked back out of the bathroom and wandered up to Gavin, lying completely naked on his bed stroking himself, he about fainted. It was a wonderful sight and he suddenly got a bit nervous. His blush spread to his ears and chest as he willed himself to climb back onto the bed. He had to lick his dry lips before he could speak. "I've got the oil."

Gavin groaned happily and pulled Nines back beside him, reaching for the prince's erection and revelling in the gasp it brought forth. "Nines, can I have you inside me?" he breathed out against Nines' lips, leisurely kissing his way around the man's face.

"Anything for you," Nines said with a soft nod before he broke eye contact. "You'll have to tell me what to do."

The other man moaned at how easily Nines agreed before focusing. "I need some prep first, do you think you could help me out with that?" Gavin asked while moving on to his back and spreading his legs, inviting Nines in between them.

"Yes," Nines agreed, his voice cracking a slight amount before he leaned back and admired Gavin a bit. He really was gorgeous. Nines had a vague enough of an idea of what to do from yesterday. He grabbed the oil and put a good amount in his hands before lightly touching his forefinger against Gavin's hole. His other hand caressed Gavin's hip.

Gavin sighed happily and relaxed as much as he could, gasping when Nines breached him. "Fuck yeah...God that feels so good," he gasped, bearing down on Nines' finger and squirming in his hold. The heat was searing and smooth as Nines slowly snuck a finger in him.

The smaller man was turning into a babbling mess, but Nines understood why. He groaned while chewing on his lip, starting to move in and out slowly. "Still good?" He whispered.

"So good," Gavin panted before moaning loudly. "God, Nines, you feel so perfect...Give me more?" he asked shyly, blush high on his cheeks.

Nines swallowed. "O-of course." He obliged slowly putting in a second finger, wiggling them and started moving in and out. Gavin didn't look uncomfortable as he continued before Nines licked his lips and glanced down at Gavin's cock. He leaned down and nuzzled the area next to it while looking up. "May I?" he asked, hoping his point would come across unsaid.

Gavin gasped as he realised what Nines wanted to do and nodded slowly, not breaking eye contact. "Fuck yeah, Nines..." Nines smiled, gave Gavin's dick a soft kiss and a few kitten licks while he made sure to keep moving his fingers. After he got a taste for Gavin, Nines opened his mouth and took as much of him as he could. Which was to his surprise all of him, and Gavin wasn't small either. Huh, a skill he didn't even know he had. He enjoyed the feeling of having a dick in his mouth.

A load moan tore from Gavin's throat, not having expected Nines to down all of him in one go and he gripped the sheets furiously to stop himself from shooting down Nines' throat. "Holy fuck, Nines, shit!" The movement was fast and Gavin's eyes were rolling. "Babe, baby...I'm gonna shoot pretty fast if you keep that up!"

Nines pulled off all the way with a wet pop before blinking "Oh. Sorry. I, _ uh, _ got a little carried away." Not sure if Gavin could go twice comfortably, and unsure of how to ask, he focused his attention elsewhere. He started teasing a third finger at Gavin's hole and slowly slid it in.

"Fuck, that wasn't a hint to stop, Nines, I was just warning you so I didn't come down your throat and choke you," Gavin reassured him. "Damn, are you ever good at that." He groaned louder as Nines slid all three fingers in deep. "Holy shit..."

"Sorry," Nines muttered with an awkward smile. He decided to keep sucking Gavin's dick, but much slower this time. He worked his fingers around and was still amazed at the fact that Gavin was loosening up nicely. Soon he would be inside him and the thought made his leaking dick jump in interest. He pulled off briefly and looked up at Gavin. "Oh, god. I can't wait to be inside you."

"I can't wait for you to be inside me," Gavin told him breathlessly as his gut clenched. "Fuck I'm ready. How do you want this? I can stay here and you can fuck me, or we can flip and I can ride you. What would you want?"

Nines stared at him. "I've never been good at making hard decisions. Which would you prefer?" Both sounded wonderful to him and he hoped things worked out to where they could try both.

Gavin bit his lip as he admitted his fantasy from earlier. "I want to ride you, so much. It was all I could think about while I was kissing you." Nines nodded, not trusting his words.

He went back to working Gavin open and after a few strokes, he managed to find his voice. "L-let me you know when you're ready."

"I'm ready, Nines, I'm so ready for you," Gavin panted, whining at the loss of the other man's fingers but salivating at the thought of getting to enjoy his cock soon.

"Okay," Nines smiled. After slowly pulling his fingers out he sat back on his ankles, hesitating for a few moments before he leaned in and pulled Gavin into a passionate kiss. 

Gavin answered with fervour and wrapped his arms around Nines' neck. "Get on your back for me, Nines. Please, I can't wait to bounce on your cock."

Nines scrambled to obey, his ears blazing. "O-okay." He swallowed down at the surge of sensation. The dirty talk was going to take some getting used to, but he really liked it anyway.

Mouth going dry at the sight of Nines on his back, Gavin couldn't help himself and licked a long stripe up the prince's dick before settling himself over his hips. "Sorry, you're just too enticing," he gave as an explanation before reaching down to steady himself above the other man's cock. "Ready?"

The prince's eyes went to where Gavin was hovering above him and he swallowed. "Please, Gav," he mumbled.

With a last sigh, Gavin sank down and moaned loudly at the warmth spearing him. He held himself on Nines' length as he adjusted an agonising inch at a time, having to give himself time because of how long Nines was. "Fuck..."

Nines felt a moan be ripped out of him and his head fell back into the pillows. Gavin was so fucking tight and hot, it made his eyes cross. He felt his hands fly to Gavin's hips while a mantra of soft moans and panting breaths fell from his mouth as Gavin sank down. "Gavin, _ oh fuck." _

It felt like it took an age before Gavin's ass finally met Nines' crotch but he had to pause, feeling more than a little impaled by the prince's cock and waited for some of the spasms to pass before attempting to move. "Nines, you feel so fucking perfect..." he sighed in bliss. Nines groaned and threw an arm over his eyes. He wiggled his hips a tiny bit, trying to hold still but desperate for Gavin to move. He chewed on his lip and waited.

Gavin got the hint and moaned loudly at the movement, slowly rising and sinking back down while trying not to lose his mind. "Oh god, Nines, fuck..." It didn't take him long to set a steady rhythm, watching Nines' facial expressions with rapt interest.

Nines moaned as Gavin moved up and down. He tried to keep up, but it ended up he was more than happy to let Gavin do as he pleased. Watching his face was lovely enough. After a few heated moments, Nines was aching for a kiss. He slid one of his hands to Gavin's hair and pulled him down in a searing kiss. Gavin whined into it and started shifting faster, grinning at how Nines moaned in reply. “You still with me Nines?”

"Y-yeah," Nines hissed out. Gavin was gonna kill him at this rate if he was being honest with himself. A few more moments of Gavins bouncing and he was beginning to teeter on the edge, warmth was tightening in his belly. "Gav," he warned.

“You nearly there, baby?” Gavin panted, almost losing himself to the pleasure that was starting to spike. “God, Nines, I’m so fucking close. I’m, I’m...”

"Very close," Nines moaned quietly and wrapped his hand around Gavin's dick to give it a few firm strokes. The extra sensation seemed to be what Gavin needed to push him over the edge. Nines watched in awe for a few seconds before his own orgasm finally slammed into him. Desperate for more of Gavin, he wrapped his unsoiled hand around him and pulled him close. He started whispering every sweet nothing that came to mind as he came.

Gavin panted atop Nines, shivering in his arms as he came down from the high. "Holy shit...You okay, Nines?" he asked with a long kiss to the other man's chest, enjoying the tangy taste from his sweat. Nines just hummed as his response: he was wonderful, beyond wonderful. He removed his trapped hand from between them and wrapped it around Gavin too, pulling him a bit closer. Kisses were then planted gently on every inch of the smaller man's neck as he worshipped his lover slowly and sweetly.

A low purr emanated from Gavin's chest as Nines mapped his neck with kisses, feeling himself grow drowsy in the man's arms. "Nines, you're gonna make me doze off..." Between his physical exhaustion from earlier and their bedroom activities, Gavin's energy was incredibly low, and Nines was warm and comfy.

Nines chuckled and pulled back. "Let's get cleaned up first. Then we can take a nap." He sat up slowly, taking Gavin with him. "I'll take care of you." Nines smiled and kissed Gavin sweetly before he climbed out from underneath of him and made his way over to the bathroom. Nines hummed to himself - he was blissed out and incredibly happy. God, Gavin made him feel like he was floating on air. He cleaned himself up quickly then gathered the things he needed for Gavin. A towel wetted with soap and water, a soft dry towel as well, and a bottle of lotion. With everything he needed, he made his way back to the bedroom, Gavin laying on the bed with a tired smile.

"I'm going to take good care of you now," Nines cooed as he cleaned Gavin up and made sure nothing was left on any of his injuries. "Can you roll onto your belly for me?"

Gavin gave a tired hum and rolled over, smiling when he felt Nines shifting behind. "I find it somewhat ironic that a prince is the one looking after the slave..." he teased, winking at Nines. The prince went to work, putting lotion on his hands and started working on giving Gavin the best massage he could. 

"I guess it would be weird if I cared about things like class and social standings," he mused as he rubbed his thumbs into the tension spots in Gavin's back, which was basically everywhere. Gavin hissed, never having experienced a massage before and not braces for the onslaught of sensation before relaxing into it.

Nines’ hands were warm and soothing, and Gavin sank into their magic. “Oh yes...”

"That good, huh?" Nines grinned to himself as he continued his ministrations, hoping to lull the other man into sleeping. He needed it after the crazy happenings of the day.

After a few minutes, Gavin’s eyes were getting very heavy as the hand moved up to his shoulders and neck. “Nines, I’m gonna...Can’t stay. Not safe for you...” Nines leaned forward and placed a soft kiss between Gavin's shoulder blades.

"Go to sleep. I can take care of myself as well." He knew that Gavin couldn't stay until morning, but he needed to guarantee that the smaller man got some good rest. He needed at least a little bit of time for his body to heal and Nines knew the other wasn't going to get it the second he left.

“Nines...” Despite his best efforts, Gavin’s battle with exhaustion was one he was always going to lose. Under Nines’ caring hands, his breathing became deep and even as he fell into a long-overdue slumber. Nines smiled and moved to tuck Gavin in. He looked towards the door, back to his lover's sleeping face and sighed. He knew he shouldn't let Gavin stay with him tonight but the combination of fear for Gavin's safety and the selfish urge to cuddle with him won out.

He stood up, got dressed in some of his painting clothes, and went down to his study. After closing the bookcase door behind him he surveyed the room. Nines flinched as he saw the knife still stuck in the wall, pulling it out before storing it back in his desk. Then he made his way out back towards his chambers.

A guard, as always, was posted outside of his room. "Hello Fletcher," he greeted. "No one is to come into my room until I say so. That includes Rose. Okay?"

Allen raised a silent eyebrow but nodded. He decided now was not the time to ask. "Understood, Nines. Goodnight."

"Thank you. Goodnight." Nines then went into his room and locked the door behind him. Gavin was still sleeping tucked up in bed and Nines was more than happy to join him in blissful slumber.

* * *

At the other side of the castle, Kamski was sipping on his glass of wine when he heard familiar footsteps enter his chambers. Without even turning his gaze from the fire in front of him, he spoke up. "Well?"

Chloe came to kneel beside him and bowed her head. "He was found by Prince Richard and has not re-emerged, the Prince has also left instructions that he is not to be disturbed by anyone. It is a safe bet that Gavin is there."

Kamski smirked. "Looks like there are indeed deeper feelings there, my bastard kin might actually be the key to following through on my plan." His hand came down to grasp Chloe's chin lightly as he smiled down at her. "You've done very well, Chloe. Keep an eye on things, let me know what happens. We may not have to get our hands dirty after all."

"Yes, Elijah," she nodded before standing, but not getting far when Elijah took a gentle hold of her hand. 

"Stay with me tonight?" he asked softly, disappointed when she pulled away.

"I should return to my watch, in case Gavin leaves the prince's chambers overnight. Losing track of him might foil everything," she gave by way of an apologetic answer.

Kamski smiled at her logic. "How right you are, my dear. Very well, but I will be having time with you tomorrow when you return to sleep. Keep to the shadows."

Chloe nodded and left, relieved that Elijah bought her excuse. Lying to him wasn't an option right now, but she couldn't just follow him mindlessly in knowing what he had done to his secret brother - and with what he was planning. One thing she had mastered from years at his side was the art of how to say enough to divert attention, and yet nothing of true meaning. She knew Elijah wouldn't have just her watching Gavin, someone else would be keeping a second watch. While she could leave out enough details to try and protect Gavin, they wouldn't.

A sickening feeling settled in her stomach at what Elijah had been hinting at: because she knew that if he played the situation the right way, Elijah now had his perfect pawn for his true motivation in Connor's kingdom. There was no mistaking the affection she'd seen between Gavin and the prince earlier.

How ironic it was that the love blossoming between the pair might be Elijah's masterstroke in tearing everything apart.


	8. Undercover Date

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> **Skye: Since I'm sure you guys are curious as we aren't updating quite as quickly as we were hoping, here's what's happening. I'm currently relocating, so I'm snatching what time I can to edit and Stu is still in finals territory (and acing their assignments in the run up, which is so awesome). We definitely aren't losing enthusiasm for this story, life is just getting very inconveniently in the way!**

Nines blinked awake to a still dark room: the curtains were drawn, which meant that his request was respected. He smiled and pulled a still sleeping Gavin closer to his chest, who snuffled a little in his sleep. The prince had a plan for the day and was really hoping Gavin would be on board. With a soft kiss, he snuck out of the bed. 

Today he would be Niles Chapman. Going over to his wardrobe, he dug out his old peasant clothes and played around with his hair. Grinning at all the changes, he drew the curtains. Gavin squinted at the light which hit his face and blinked awake, only to jolt when he realized where he was.

"Shit!" he cried out before jolting up, yelping when he agitated the wound on his chest and curling back under the covers as he hissed through the pain.

Nines spun at the pained sound from Gavin and quickly made his way over to the bed. "Good morning, gorgeous," he greeted as he sat down next to the smaller man. "Let's get those injuries cleaned up again."

Spinning around and peeking up from under the covers to face the prince, Gavin's eyes were wide. "Nines! Why did you let me sleep so long? Shit, what if someone saw us?!" He gasped as he sat up properly, staring at Nines in disbelief. "Are you wanting us to get caught?" Gavin whispered, not understanding why Nines was continuing to take so many risks with him.

Nines' smile fell from his face. "No?" he swallowed while staring at Gavin seriously. "My guard was instructed to not let anyone in. No one even knows you're here, I took all necessary precautions to make sure." He stood up and offered his hand. "Come on, let's get cleaned up. The last thing you need is an infection."

It took Gavin a second before his racing mind calmed enough for him to let out a relieved sigh as he took the offered appendage. "Sorry, Nines, I...I didn't mean to spoil your mood," he muttered, cheeks colouring in shame. "I don't doubt that you did, but I know what Elijah's like. It wouldn't surprise me if he's had people looking out for all me all night, and if they caught word of your routine changing..." Gavin shook his head to dispel the thought. "I'll shut up now. Can we try that again?" he wondered shyly.

The prince gently hauled Gavin up in a kiss before pulling back and giving a cheeky grin. "You have no idea how much I ask the guard to make sure no one comes in here. Nosy people would start to notice how often I sneak out of the castle."

After what he'd learned about Nines the previous night, Gavin wasn't surprised. He snorted in laughter. "Okay, that works I guess." He let Nines lead them through to the bathroom and decided to steal a hug and kiss from the prince. When Gavin pulled back, his cheeks were pink. "I like waking up with you," he decided.

Nines wrapped his arms around Gavin and brought him into a much deeper kiss. When pulled back it was with a soft smile. "Me too." He led Gavin the rest of the way to the bathroom and took a closer look at the stitches on his chest. "The infection didn't set in. Thank God."

"How bad was it looking?" In all honesty, Gavin was used to some of his wounds getting infected - he didn't really get the chance to clean them and look after himself - but this was one of the worst sets he'd had in a while. Ever since he got that mess of scars on his abdomen a couple of years ago.

"It wasn't going to be life-threatening or anything but it wasn't looking good," Nines sighed. "You would have likely gotten a fever and has been pretty uncomfortable, but you should be fine now. Just need to keep the bandages clean." 

“Oh, that happens all the time, I don’t really even react to things like that now. It’s not unusual for me to end up bedridden with fever,” Gavin said casually before smiling at Nines.

"How are you feeling?" the prince asked while studiously switching out all of the bandages.

“I’ve not slept like that in...years, I forgot what a full night’s deep sleep feels like,” Gavin replied softly, his smile growing more tender. “Thank you.” His words further cemented Nines' plans for the day. He could not be in the same room as King Elijah without having to resist the urge to outright kill the man. 

Instead, Nines beamed back at Gavin. "I'm glad. I actually slept better than I have in a long time as well." He caressed Gavin's face and kissed him gently. "I'm amazed you haven't commented on my outfit."

Only now did Gavin’s eyes take in the simple commoner’s garb that Nines was kitted out in, and the rougher styling of his hair (or more appropriately, the total lack of). “Ummm...what’s the occasion?” he wondered. “Heading out into town I’m guessing?”

"_We're_ heading to town," Nines smiled as made a wide gesture. "As long as you're okay with it, that is," he mumbled. "I cannot sit through another 'peace' talk without simply sticking a knife in King Elijah's throat."

The tone had Gavin a little worried and he reached out to take Nines’ hand. “Nines, this is what Elijah does. He gets his kicks out of using someone as a punching bag and that’s me. I’d rather that than he pick on someone else and I had to watch them go through this instead. He’s...He’s a psycho, but this is just my life, okay? You killing him wouldn’t change anything, so please don’t talk like that? I’d hate to think you would become known as a kingslayer because of me.”

Nines' eyes darkened a considerable amount. Many people already thought Prince Nines was a kingslayer: some of his citizens thought his sudden disappearance in the aftermath the death of his parents was indicative of much darker reasoning. He swallowed down those nasty thoughts, but Gavin still spied Nines' distress. Determined to get the topic back on track, Gavin’s eyes lit up at the prospect of going with Nines into town. “Wait a minute, _we?_ Why _we?”_ he asked in surprise.

"Yes, _we."_ Nines laughed. "My old soldier buddies won't believe that I have a new boyfriend without flesh and blood proof. Plus, you look like you could use a drink."

Gavin got more than a little nervous. “Ummmm, really?” He rubbed the back of his neck awkwardly. “Okay, sure, why not? What are we going to tell them about who I am though? I think it’s pretty obvious that I’m not a soldier: I can barely hold my own in a duel, let alone win,” he chuckled mirthfully.

The prince smiled, having already made a plan. "Well, you have an obvious foreign accent so we can say you're an immigrant, and you can spin whatever tale about your life you want." Nines explained as his hand went to Gavin's cheek once again. "Remember, today I'm Niles Chapman and you're whatever Gavin you want to be. I'm not a prince and you're not a slave," he reminded with a soft kiss.

“I think I can remember that I like the idea of calling you Niles,” Gavin smiled while bringing Nines into a much deeper kiss. “Er, slight hiccup though. What am I going to wear? My shirt is still bloodied.” His cheeks blushed at the thought of having to wear Nines’ clothes.

"I mean, you can wear anything of mine. But I would just avoid things that scream 'prince'," Nines replied with a snicker. Gavin would look stunning in his clothes, even more so than normal. Gavin smiled and went over to Niles’ wardrobe, his eyes catching on an old and beaten leather jacket. It clearly had seen some use, but none of it looked beyond worn. He pulled that out with another older looking coloured tunic and grabbed a thick belt to wear over it. 

Once he’d dressed, he turned to look at Nines. “That do?” he asked shyly.

Nines bit his lip and gave Gavin a less than subtle once over. "Oh, I think so," he said honestly as he walked up to the smaller man and ran a hand up his side. "You're downright sinful dressed in my clothes." He reached out and scooped Gavin up, dipping him into a heated kiss. "So, what would like to do today, Gav?" he asked while he still had Gavin lowered.

“Ummmmm...” Gavin couldn’t really think, not while Nines had him bent like this. Pressed against the length of him made Gavin’s heart race and he was aware of how his cheeks were colouring. “You know the town better than I do. I’ll just follow your lead,” he squeaked a little.

"You have the most wonderful blush," Nines said as he pulled Gavin back into a standing position, leaving the other man with a kiss to the cheek and a little dazed. "I think we could go around the market, sit down somewhere to eat lunch, explore some more, and then got to the tavern for dinner and a drink."

"That sounds..." Gavin just managed to keep his voice from breaking. He had no idea how to put across to Nines that he'd never experienced any of that before, his memories of socializing and drinking consisted of himself and Elijah's servants. They all had homes to go back to, though. Everyone knew that Gavin was a slave, but a few of them made an effort to give him a feeling of having a sort of family. Tina, Chris, Rupert, Chloe... He scrubbed away a happy tear. "That sounds fucking awesome."

"Brilliant," Nines grinned, "When would you like to go?" He was excited for the trip, thrilled to introduce Gavin to his friends outside the castle though they were few.

“How long can you be gone for?” the slave asked quietly. Gavin would stay away as long as possible, but he knew that Nines probably wouldn’t have that same opportunity. Someone was going to notice his absence.

Nines shrugged nonchalantly. "The benefits of being a weird hermit, I'm always hiding. Most of my staff don't notice my frequent absences. A good handful of the staff are still not used to me being back all the time, considering that I've been gone for years at a time." He sighed and scratched the back of his neck as he looked towards the door. "I think some of them are waiting for the hat to drop and I disappear again." Nines knew Connor was.

Shaking his head, Nines turned his attention back to the real question. "With all that being said. As long as I want."

It was a strange conundrum - Gavin was equal measures saddened and enthralled but Nines’ story. To hear that everyone was used to him being missing (for long periods of time no less) was incredibly sad, but to have the freedom to just up and leave without anyone chasing after you... Yeah, that he could envy. “Then I’ll leave this in your control. I’m in for a hiding whenever I get back, so I’ll take any time you can give me away from here,” Gavin grinned, leaning up to give Nines a slow kiss.

Nines wrapped Gavin up in his arms and returned the kiss passionately. He then pulled back and grinned at the smaller man. "Then it's settled. Let's get going, I'll need to grab a few things from my study and then we can sneak out the window door." He took Gavin's hand and headed to the bookcase stairway. "Come on, Gav. I have so much I wish to share with you."

Gavin beamed and followed Nines down the stairs, admiring the beautiful sunrise out the window as Nines got ready. "What a morning..." he sighed happily, enjoying the colours painted across the sky. Nines quickly gathered up the things he needed: a coin purse and a stealth weapon. After that, he was good to go. He then turned to look at Gavin and smiled when he saw the man staring blissfully out at the sunrise. Nines walked up and wrapped his arms around the man from behind, placing his chin on the smaller man's shoulder. 

"Spending this time with you has been the most wonderful part of my life," Nines whispered, nuzzling into the crook of Gavin's neck.

A joyful laugh rose up through Gavin and he leant back into Nines, tipping his own head back. "You stole the exact words I was thinking. You sure you aren't a mind reader?"

Nines returned the laugh. "Now that would be giving me too much credit." He wrapped his arms around Gavin again, a little tighter this time. "I'm just speaking the truth." The prince started peppering soft kisses along his lover's neck, just enjoying having the other man he'd grown to care for an incredible amount in his arms and in his life.

Gavin spun in Nines' arms and kissed him lovingly, wrapping his arms around him. "Is it weird that I just kind of want to stay like this, even though I know what you've got in store for us?" he wondered softly.

Returning the kiss, Nines sighed when it broke. "Not at all." He kissed Gavin again and considered maybe they could delay their departure, but time away from the castle was just as much a treasure as this. He pulled back once more and grinned. "Come on. You said it yourself, I have a day planned." He walked over to the window door and opened it, gesturing for Gavin to go out first. Soon following, they were on their way to sneaking out of the castle grounds. That tight trapped feeling in his chest eased with every step.

The servant's eyes flitted around as he took in the surroundings. There was so much green and raw nature around the castle, Gardenia really did live up to its name - Cybera had been torn apart by war far more, but that might well have something to do with the fact that Elijah had made the military intrinsic in their everyday lives. They had lived and breathed the war for so long that most of the population didn't remember peace. "It's so beautiful here..." he wondered out loud. "I can see why you were so willing to fight for it."

Nines couldn't help the snort that escaped him. "I didn't fight for the land, I fought for the people. I fought for me." He led Gavin though the last threshold between the castle and the capital city, waving his arm towards the city. "Let's not talk about the war, for now, we'll hear plenty of war stories at the tavern tonight."

"I'm pretty curious as to what they're all going to say about you, given you've said you are awkward and shy," Gavin smiled. "I just can't see you as a soldier, sorry, Niles." Slipping into the other name was easy enough, Gavin was used to flitting between titles and names in his head and what he spoke aloud. He'd been coming up with unsavoury terms for Elijah for years, despite whatever he said aloud. "Oh wow," he gasped at seeing how busy everything was. "Fucking hell, this is nuts..."

The prince thought about people not seeing him as a soldier, which was a strange concept to him because he only really thought of himself as one. It just fit him better. He shook his head as hooked his elbow with Gavin's and then grinned at the other man's expression. "I know, I love it out here. Let's go, I have a place in mind for breakfast." He started leading Gavin towards the small breakfast nook that was down the lane.

"I'm absolutely starving, so I'm looking forward to seeing what you have in mind," Gavin smiled while staying as close to Nines as possible. "Not to mention the rest of the day."

Nines casually wrapped his arm around Gavin's waist, pulling him close. "There's this lovely place called 'J's eggs' and don't tell Luther, but they have the best breakfast on this side of the border," he rambled as they finished the walk. With the familiar shop in front of them, Nines smiled as he heard the bell chime when he and Gavin walked in. 

"Hello, welcome to J's," the red-headed shopkeep called out. He turned around with a soft smile and then his eyes lit up. "Niles! I haven't seen you in a couple of weeks." His eyes travelled to Gavin and he beamed. "You brought someone! Go on sit. Don't worry about ordering I know what you want."

Nines laughed as he ushered Gavin to a table. "Don't worry Jerome is always like that. But whatever he makes it's going to be wonderful," the prince smirked.

Gavin snickered as they sat, feeling more and more relaxed as the minutes ticked on. Was this what being normal and free felt like? "He said you hadn't been in a couple of weeks? Just how often do you go on your wanders?" he asked pointedly. "Not that I blame you, I'd spend every minute possible out here if I could. The choice is overwhelming."

Nines scratched the back of his neck. "At least once or twice a month. I don't do well in those walls, but if I had it my way I'd never go back." Except that he didn't, but that didn't need saying. "You and I really do have a lot in common, that amazes me."

A sad smile came to Gavin's face. "We're both in very different cages. Yours might be a lot more gilded than mine, but it doesn't make it any less of a prison." His smile brightened as he looked at Nines. "I guess how much we have in common makes this feel so natural." Gavin's cheeks coloured at the admission and he couldn't quite look at Nines, mildly embarrassed.

"Natural," Nines mused. "Sounds about right." He wanted to say more about that but he didn't get the chance as company arrived.

"Here you go," Jerome chirped as he slid a piled-high plate of food in front of both of them. "I would say I hope you enjoy, but I know you will." He winked before turning to look at Gavin. "How did Niles find someone as handsome you? I've barely heard him say a word to anyone that was remotely good looking."

Gavin sputtered at the praise, totally unused to it and blushed profusely. "Ummmm... We just kinda stumbled into each other, really. Kind of met by pure chance."

Jerome let out a hearty laugh. "That's amazing! I'm so happy for both of you. Well, I won't bug you lovebirds anymore. Enjoy!" He waved as he walked away and started flitting from table to table.

"He's something else," Nines grinned while turning back to Gavin. "Your face is very red. Are you okay?" He made his tone deliberately teasing as he reached his hand across the table, offering it.

"Yeah, yeah I'm good," Gavin mumbled. "I just don't get compliments very often, I'm not used to being noticed at all," he replied honestly while taking Nines' hand. "This food looks absolutely amazing, my mouth's watering at," he said while turning his attention to the steaming contents.

"I'm glad I noticed you," Nines whispered. He let the words dangle for a moment before he pulled his hand away and gestured to the food. "Dig in! Like Jerome said, you'll love it."

Gavin did, and he had to bite back an obscene groan at the taste. "Oh my god...how does anyone make food taste this good? I'd never leave this place!"

Nines laughed and hid behind his hand as he watched Gavin dig into the food. "I'm glad you like it, but don't tell Jerome that. His ego is big enough." He shook his head in amusement as he started to dig into his breakfast.

"I don't often get the chance to air my own thoughts, so I'm taking advantage," Gavin smiled before continuing, "but don't worry, I won't for your sake. You're going to be the one dealing with it long term, after all."

The prince hid his frown behind his food for a moment. "Who knows what the future holds," he mused as he dug back into his meal: Jerome had really upped his game. Nines was going to leave him a more generous than normal tip today.

Gavin tucked into more of the feast before looking up again to beam at Nines. “Well, this is one hell of a start to the day. I’m pretty excited for what you’ve got next.”

"Me too," Nines drew out. "What do you want to do first? We can go to the market like planned, or we can do anything you want." He wanted Gavin to have the best day possible because if things went well or wrong enough, this could be their last day together. Nines wanted to savour those moments and give Gavin good memories just in case things went sideways. He mentally shook himself: it was no time for those kinds of thoughts.

"I'm really curious as to what the market would be like, let's head there," Gavin said with a smile, reaching out for Nines' hand. "If that's okay with you?"

"I'm happy with whatever you want to do," Nines smiled as he took Gavin's hand. They had eaten breakfast pretty quickly but considering they had basically skipped dinner yesterday it made sense. He led Gavin to the counter, keeping an arm around his waist a little possessively. "Jerome, we're heading out. I want to pay," he chirped playfully at the shopkeep. Jerome rolled his eyes as he told Nines the total. "Perfect," Nines mused as he pulled out the amount, plus a very generous tip.

Jerome smiled as he counted and pocketed the money. "That good?"

"Of course," Nines scoffed, "see you soon, Jerome." He waved and kept his arm wrapped around Gavin as they went on their way. "This way to the market, darling."

Gavin laughed and leant into Nines, but noticed that he was getting a couple of looks from those around them as they kept chatting on the way to the market. "Ummm, Niles, I think I'm attracting some attention...Is that normal for someone from across the border?"

Nines had noticed the looks already, he was the type to notice things. "Yeah, people think you're a refugee or the like, but don't worry about it." He didn't voice that people were probably more interested in the bruise on his chin. They looked like an interesting pair. A tall and pale soldier with a short tan beat-up looking refugee.

"To be honest, I'll take that. At least this way they hopefully won't think I'm a spy or anything like that. That happens too often back home," Gavin said softly, once again struck by the tremendous differences between the two countries. "You're sure it won't cause a problem?" he asked while wrapping his arm tighter around Nines.

Nines gave Gavin a reassuring squeeze. "I won't let it be a problem. I'll take care of you." He smiled as he saw the marketplace show up on the horizon. "Come on, let's go enjoy the market. People will be people, today is about us not them." He finished with a soft kiss to Gavin's temple. 

Trusting that Nines knew what he was talking about, Gavin just tried to tune everyone out and took in the sights of the town itself rather than the people. "Whoa..." Gavin gasped as he realised just how busy the market was. "Just how much can you get here? It looks like there's a bit of everything!"

"I do think there is just a little bit of everything here. This is the capital, after all, darling." Nines beamed. "Lead the way," he said with a sweeping gesture.

Gavin grabbed Nines’ hand, keeping them together but giving them a bit more freedom of movement than when they were side-by-side, as they started to move through the chaos that was the bustling market. They stopped to look at a few stalls casually, but the first one that caught Gavin’s eye was one with simple leather accessories. His eyes took them in slowly, loving the understated elegance of them, and he picked up a leather pendant with a simple silver charm at the end to get a closer look.

Nines just let Gavin pull him around and they bounced from stall to stall. His attention too was stoled by the pendant, something that looked like it was made for Gavin. The prince ran his hand softly along Gavin's hairline. "Would you like that piece?"

Turning in surprise, Gavin blinked at Nines before contemplating it. “I...I don’t have much,” he started, the why going unsaid, “but this...I think I could keep this secret. Something to always carry with me and remember,” he replied quietly. Nines nodded in understanding. He had expected Gavin to refuse and would have understood why, but he must really like it.

"Then it's yours. Something of me for you to have forever." Nines declared as he turned to the shopkeeper and made quick work of the purchase. He then spun back to Gavin with a soft smile. "There you go, all yours."

Gavin took the pendant with a smile and placed it over his head, admiring how it came to rest halfway down his chest. It would be well out of sight beneath any of his shirts. “Thank you,” Gavin murmured, beyond moved that Nines would do all this for him. He’d never been made to as special as this by anyone before.

"You're more than welcome, love," Nines whispered and followed up with a kiss. "I'm glad I can make you happy," he grinned as he offered a hand.

"There are plenty of more shops. Lead the way."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Stu: (Skye is the best) Eventually I'll make it winter break! <3  
Do y'all love these boys as much as I do? Because I'm beyond thrilled to be sharing this with y'all. Just thought I'd say that!


	9. Never Escape

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> **Skye: Apologies for our delay with this latest chapter, but the good news is that Stu is finally finished with their exams! And I’m almost fully moved now, so fingers crossed we should be able to get more frequent with our updates again! **

They kept at it for a while, both admiring various items on the stands and stores they went into. Knowing that it was something that would appeal to Nines, Gavin pointed out a small gallery and beamed. “Let’s go check out the paintings; not that any of them will really compare to yours.”

Nines eyes widened in excitement and he let Gavin lead him to the small gallery filled with paintings in a few different styles. "Let's go see if that's the case, then." It was a fascinating experience because he could see the beginnings of artists pushing the envelope just as he was trying to do. He made a few jokes, but he really admired the skill of other painters, even getting pulled into a small conversation about brush style with one of the artists. After they walked away from the chat, Nines looked at Gavin with sparkling eyes. "I think I would like to add traveling artist to my list of dreams."

"I was right though, none of their paintings came anywhere close to yours," Gavin praised while kissing Nines' cheek. "Makes me wonder what else you have done and can do, though. I haven't seen enough of your works yet to really know."

The prince giggled. "I'll have to show you my personal gallery sometime, though I only keep a small handful. Nobles love nothing more than a painting by a..." He stopped and swallowed his words, "well, you know."

Gavin looked at Nines curiously. "Don't you paint a lot for you? Or do you not really get the time? I'm sure there's something or someone that you'd want to paint."

"It all depends," Nines shrugged, "I only took painting back up again after I returned from the war. I have a small collection of sketchbooks from my time on the battlefield grounds, but my personal paintings? Most of them are older."

A sad expression crossed Gavin's face. "You should do something new, something to celebrate the hopefully upcoming peace. I'm sure something would take your fancy?"

Nines looked away, a blush coloring his cheeks. "I'm already working on a piece at the moment."

Gavin’s eyes widened. “Oh shit, sorry, I didn’t realise. Forget I said anything then,” he smiled, mildly embarrassed. Rubbing the back of his neck and coughing awkwardly, Gavin looked around a little. “So, where we heading next?”

A bit puzzled by Gavin's reaction, Nines hummed to himself and shrugged as he decided to not acknowledge it. "That's up to you. We can just go wherever until you're ready for lunch."

“You know, this might sound crazy but...ah, forget it, it’s a stupid suggestion,” Gavin grumbled, blush colouring his cheeks. “I dunno, I’m not sure what there is to do, really. You know this place better than I do.”

Nines stopped walking and reached out and caressed Gavin's cheek with his thumb. "What were you thinking, love? You can ask for anything today, I couldn't imagine ever saying no to you anyway. "

The slave hesitated, weighing up what he was about to ask before letting the words out. "Can you show me how to use a sword properly?"

Blinking, Nines stared at Gavin, not having expecting that. "Sure? I think there's a training ground up by the blacksmith. We should be able to play around up there. Or at worse we can do that at the castle later." He offered a hand and started to lead the way.

"Sorry, I know that was kind of out of the blue," Gavin replied sheepishly. "It's just...All I know is self-taught from what little I've seen, and it's something I have always wanted to do. I know its probably not what you had in mind for today..."

"I'm more than okay with sword fighting, it was just not what I expected you to ask for. I'm excited to show you some moves. Hell, if you enjoy it enough I have a fully equipped training ground." Nines kissed him with a wink.

Gavin laughed at the reaction and nudged Nines with his hip. "Wanting to show me some moves, huh? This you hinting that I'm gonna end up on my back a few times?" he teased back. Two could play at this game.

Nines blushed brightly, having not intended for what he said to be a flirt. "Well, I mean. Uh. I'm sure I could put you in the ground. I promise to not go easy on you."

"I wouldn't want you to, I'm not going to learn much if you go easy on me. I've learned how to duck and dive a bit over the years though." Gavin's eyes clouded a little. "Kinda had to with some of the shit that's gone on. Even if I couldn't do it without serious consequences, knowing that I could handle a sword should it come down to it would be very helpful."

Nines put his hand on one of his bullet scars. "It really is a useful skill, I hope it continues to be that." He then saw the blacksmith in his vision. "There it is." The prince led Gavin through the front door and smiled at the shopkeep. "Hey, Jerry! Is the training lot open?"

The red-headed blacksmith smiled widely, "Hey Niles! Yeah, it's open! You know where the training swords are."

"Thank you, Jerry!" Nines waved as he walked through the backdoor, Gavin in hand. Gavin’s eyes flirted between Nines and Jerry subtly as they walked away.

“Er...Niles, I’m hoping that was a twin and I’m not just imagining that I saw Jerome again? Or that I’m seeing things?” he asked quietly.

Nines looked back at Jerry, then to Gavin and laughed. "Oh, yeah! I forgot to tell you. You're not seeing things, but they're not twins." He left the truth dangling with a smile: it would be hilarious for Gavin to find out they were sextuplets and, depending on the rest of the day, he would see at least one more of them.

After staring at Nines for a solid ten seconds, Gavin sighed. “Fuck, I feel sorry for their mother. Pushing out triplets would be god awful. Please tell me there’s only three of them, or I will freak the fuck out. Three is creepy enough.”

The prince pressed his lips together and swallowed down a laugh. "Yeah, I feel bad for their mother too. Hell, I feel bad for my mother having twins. Imagine having that many babies." He shook his head and then led Gavin onwards. "Come on let find a training sword your size," he teased as he opened the door to the training storage room.

“Hey...” Gavin pouted, “I’m not that short...” It was then that something occurred to him. “Wait, you said that your mother had twins. But you and Connor aren’t-“ 

From how Nines froze up, Gavin realised he’d touched upon a sore subject.

Nines couldn't believe he'd let that slip. He swallowed back a surge of emotion. "You'd be correct, Connor and I are not twins." He hoped for once Gavin wouldn't press. He hadn't so much as said Cecil's name in years. Scanning the swords, he spotted Gavin's size quickly. "But in reality, for swords you are a bit short," he said with a bit of forced humour as he offered the handle to Gavin.

A talent Gavin had picked up over the years was to know when to mind his own business. As a servant, he was often privy to far more than he was entitled, and he’d unexpectedly found himself in the same situation here. This wasn’t something he had expected with Nines. Though his mind was swimming with questions, Gavin let the subject go and took the sword offered to him. “Great, way to rub it in,” he groused, “but with a smaller frame I can only assume I’d be a less easy target?”

The prince let out the breath he was holding and smiled. He grabbed a sword for himself, showing off with a trick so that Gavin ended up at the business end of the sword. "We'll see." He grinned.

Gavin knew he was going to get absolutely trounced, but that didn’t stop him from wanting to catch Nines out once. He’d take that. Flicking the blade away with his own sword, Gavin backed away and raised his sword properly. “Come on then, bring it.”

Nines stepped into a fighting stance and smiled. "Let's take this outside, love," he cooed as took a step forward and forced Gavin out the door. Once they were in the training plot Nines went into business mode. "Let me see your stance."

Recalling what he’d seen what never practiced, Gavin raised his sword and faced Nines, but his body placement was noticeably wrong. Too straight and his feet weren’t properly aligned to give him balance. A simple bash would cause him to lose all balance. Nines looked at Gavin with a critical eye before he walked over and fixed the incorrect limb placement. "There, don't be so tight. Tension is good, but too much is dangerous." Nines demonstrated once again.

Gavin tried his best to ease up and follow Nines’ instructions, and this time he looked much better. It was clear from how he was holding his sword however that he would never be one to start a fight. Braced for a first impact, reactive. He didn’t know any better though, Gavin had no idea of the methodology behind wielding a sword. All he could hope is that Nines would show him.

Watching carefully, Nines identified Gavin as a defensive fighter and decided to work with that. "Follow my lead," he instructed as he started to lead his lover into a soft combat.

Despite his inexperience Gavin was a fast learner and they worked well together. After what was probably a half an hour Gavin had gained a bit of confidence and was really trying to give Nines a run for his money. Nines grinned as he finally tucked his free hand behind his back, showing he was serious about the next step. "Come on, love. I know you can perry me if you try," he taunted with a wink.

A smirk wove its way into Gavin’s face. “That sass is gonna land you in trouble,” he snarked, deciding to try and attack with faint to see if Nines was laid back enough to fall for it. Of course he wasn’t and Gavin failed miserably, Nines stepping straight out of the way. Stumbling past him, Gavin’s eyes narrowed. “Okay, note to self, attacking isn’t as easy as it looks.”

Nines hummed and waited for Gavin to regain his balance, smirking. "Oh, I think it is," he mused as he forced Gavin closer to the wall. He then smirked and in one quick movement he parried Gavin's sword right out of his hand. 

The sword stuck into the ground with a thunk. Nines smirked as he seen Gavin's eyes widen, and he took advantage of his win to close the last bit of distance between them, caging the smaller man to the wall with his body. He leaned in close to his lover's ear. "Point," he breathed out.

“Ummm...” Gavin's mind was wandering to dangerous places with Nines towering over him like that and he blushed at being hemmed in. “Yeah, yeah you got me there...”

Nines leaned in and gave Gavin a lingering kiss, breaking it with a small smile. "You think too much," he whispered before he pulled back all together, leaving Gavin slack jawed and blushing. Nines pulled the sword from the ground and offered back to Gavin. "Let's try that again, you start this time. You're a small man, use that to your advantage," Nines snickered, knowing goading was always a way to get someone to learn. "Or can you even reach me?" he winked as he took up a defensive stance.

Gavin glared, mildly offended but still had one trick up his sleeve. He took up his stance again and tried to duck under Nines' arm, but the prince was one step ahead of him. Gavin backed off to try and come up with another angle, coming in from the side this time. As he swung down and Nines parried, however, Gavin let go of the sword and caught it with his other hand - holding it to Nines' back. The other man was shocked and Gavin winked.

"Being ambidextrous has its advantages," Gavin smirked, "and being forced to watch Elijah kick the shit out of people gave me some things to think about and try."

The prince hadn't been caught unawares in combat for a long while, but watching Gavin casually switch hands did just that. He whistled and raised his hands up in surrender. "Looks like this point is yours. Glad you've learned something." He then turned around and grinned. "That is something I've never seen in all my years of fighting. Amazing," he praised.

Sighing, Gavin stood again. "As much as Elijah's a bastard, he can fight unlike anyone else I've ever seen. He's hired assassins from all the other countries to teach him things. There's no way to sneak up on him now, and he fights dirty. I've seen enough of it to figure that some of it might be worth trying to learn by myself, but without the basics I can only do so much."

Nines' eyebrows shot up, "Assassins? That is something else. I feel like that also goes to his soldiers, the hardest fights I've ever had have been at the borders between our two countries." He felt an uncomfortable twinge in his side in remembrance. "But at least only Jericho is known for guns," Nines mused as reset his stance. "Ready for round three?"

Nodding with a little more confidence now, Gavin took up his stance and focused hard on Nines. "Ready, give me your best!"

"Always," Nines mused as he tucked his free hand again. He decided it was time to show off again. Gavin was a fast learner but that still didn't replace Nines' whole life worth of experience. The prince charged with the purpose of not going easy on easy on Gavin. While Gavin was able to parry him a few times, he was quickly overwhelmed. Nines disarmed him, the smaller sword falling to the ground and skittered away. Accompanied with a well timed swipe at the smaller man's legs and he was sent towards the ground.

Nines caught Gavin by the waist before he hit the ground with a smile. "Point.”

A laugh tore out of Gavin's throat. "More like trounced," he smiled, before smirking as he stretched up and kissed Nines soundly. He pulled back with a snicker at the surprise on Nines' face. "Thank you, for doing this. You didn't have to."

The taller man laughed a tiny bit as his face turned red. "You're more than welcome, I had a lot of fun. We should do this again sometime." He pulled them both into a standing position with one last kiss. "Ready for a drink?"

"Hell yeah, sounds great," Gavin beamed and let Nines lead them back through, putting everything back with a sigh. "I know I probably shouldn't have enjoyed this as much as I did, but I feel a lot better equipped now. Hopefully it'll make some difference in the future."

Nines nodded. "I've learned to like sword fighting as time went on. But fuck I hated it so much growing up, I think I already told you that story," he laughed, as he offered a hand. "Let me go pay Jerry and then we can start our way over towards the tavern." Gavin agreed as Nines walked to Jerry, smiling at the blacksmith.

"Have fun?" Jerry asked with a smile.

"Of course," Nines beamed in return as he pulled out payment. "Want me to say hi to Jack for you? We're going up to The Cove."

Jerry took the money and beamed. "Would you? That would be nice; tell him he still owes me a Mule."

"I will," Nines laughed. He then waved and went to collect Gavin. "Let's go, love." After that they were on their way.

"Let me guess, Jack is another one?" Gavin wondered while looping his arm through Nines' as they wove through the early evening crowds. It was quieter now, but there were still people milling around. "Just how many of them actually are there? Just so I don't keel over if another three of them turn up at this tavern or something."

"There are... six... of... them," Nines trailed off, his attention caught. A woman he had noticed a few times already had made another appearance, and he was instantly on edge. He pulled Gavin close under the pretence of kissing his ear. "Don't look, but we're being followed. A lady has been casually trailing us since breakfast."

Gavin twigged Nines' warning and did his best to not react anything other than naturally. He'd feared being followed. Gavin rested his head on to Nines' shoulder as they kept walking. "Someone you recognise as one of your people? Describe her to me and I should be able to tell if she's part of our entourage."

Nines nodded while leading them on. "She's got short brown hair and brown eyes with a few beauty marks: a traditional pretty woman," he elaborated as he lead them down a detour turn, hoping to smoke her out. "She doesn't look like one of Connor's people."

"That doesn't sound like anyone that came with us," Gavin said in concern. "What are the odds that this is random chance?"

"Low," Nines responded. He then stopped and pulled Gavin into a small alcove. "But if it is, she won't follow us down this alley " Nines waited patiently but drew out a knife from under his clothes. Gavin eyed it nervously and instinctively put some distance between them, standing behind Nines instead. He had way too many poor memories with knives, some very recent.

"Anything?" he whispered lowly. Nines didn't say anything as waited, but he heard the footsteps and a quick look confirmed that the lady had followed them. He hoped what he was about to do would be forgivable.

Nines launched himself out of his hiding spot and before she even had a chance to react she was pinned against the other wall, a knife to her throat. "Who sent you?" he ground out. He wasn't playing around, being soft had cost most of his family their lives. It had almost cost it his own more than once, it was not going to result in Gavin getting hurt.

A shiver ran down Gavin's spine at the tone, and it clearly startled her too. She didn't put up much of a fight. "I-I don't know! I was just paid to follow you and was meant to report back to someone after nightfall!" she stammered. "I have no idea who you are or why they want you, but they just said for me to watch you and tell them about your relationship! That's all, I swear!"

"All you need to know is that I'm not someone you want to fuck with." Nines narrowed his eyes and didn't loosen up on her. "And what exactly do you plan on reporting back?" he hissed as he pressed the knife in a bit tighter.

“N-Nothing! I’ve got the money, I don’t need to go back! They’re a foreigner anyway, they won’t know the city like I do, I can vanish!” she all but screamed.

Gavin’s heart froze to ice. A foreigner had to mean Elijah. He’d sent someone to follow Gavin and see what he was up to... and with it, Nines has been put in danger.

Why the fuck couldn’t he just have one thing to himself? Or one day even? One day free of being that asshole’s property. It was a cruel reminder of how hollow everything they’d shared together was. As much as they were playing to the illusion out here, Gavin was still a slave and Nines was still a prince.

Talk about a bitter pill to swallow.

Nines sighed. The woman wasn't lying, she wouldn't say anything. It was clear from the fear in her voice. He took a step back and stared at her coldly. "Fine. I'll let you go, but," he lifted the knife up to be clear, "if I find out you squeaked, it won't be pretty." Nines swallowed and used his commanding voice. "Go!"

She scrambled away, a few tears running down her face.

The prince ground his teeth and put the knife away. He turned back to Gavin while taking a deep breath. "I'm sorry you had to see that." His voice was back to normal, though choked up a bit on emotion. Gavin nodded shakily but kept the distance for now. Right now the memories of Elijah were blurring with what he’d just seen was a very different side of Nines, and he was struggling to tell them apart. 

“He’s watching me,” Gavin croaked out instead. “Even here he’s always watching...I won’t ever be free of him, not even like this,” he finished melancholically.

Nines stood completely still. Something just wasn't adding up. Why he fuck did Elijah care so much about Gavin? It didn't make any sense. Gavin was supposed to be a slave, just the unlucky son of a traitorous woman. Why hire spies to watch him? He swallowed down the bile riding in his throat. "He's up to something," Nines voiced instead. 

He shook his head and tried to smile. "Come on, let's go to the tavern. We can deal with the fall out of this later. We're okay and that's what matters," Nines tried to reassure.

“It’s Elijah, he’s always up to something,” Gavin sighed, mind no longer on them. “Yeah, yeah let’s do that...” he said distantly. “Lead on.”

Nines hesitated at the tone, Gavin wasn't all here anymore. "Gavin? Are you okay?"

“I’m fine,” he replied with a defeated smile. “Let’s go.” His heart was aching, now he knew that when he got back to the castle there was a good chance that Elijah was going to turn the screw on him. He’d had relative freedom up until now, and it was going to be taken away from him.

"You don't have to lie to me. I won't hold the truth against you." Nines said as he took a deep breath. "If you would rather not, we can just go ahead and head to The Cove."

After a few seconds of deliberation, Gavin looked away. “I just know how this is going to go. What’s going to happen when I get back,” he said morosely. “It’s a safe bet that Elijah won’t let me out of his sight, and I get the feeling what happened two nights ago isn’t going to compare to the beating he’s got planned for me next...” His hand came up to rest over the carved brand. “I am his property after all.”

Nines ground his teeth in anger. He hated how Gavin was being treated - really hated it. Gavin was a wonderful human, but he was so broken and controlled. Why hadn't Elijah killed him and moved onto another play thing already?

The prince blinked in shock at that thought and forced it away. He reached forward and gently placed his hand over Gavin's, caressing this skin there. Nines knew the brand that was carved there, and he knew many of the other scars on the other man's skin but he didn't care about any of them at that moment. "Gavin..." he whispered and buried his face into the crook of his lover's neck. Nines didn't know what to do and he hated that.

Their contact helped to break Gavin out of some of the memories and he trembled a little. “Hey, at least you won’t have to worry about this for much longer. Pretty soon you won’t ever have to see Elijah again,” he attempted to joke, but his voice caught.

Because that meant Gavin wouldn’t ever see him again, either.

Nines trembled at the force of the emotion in the air and he let out a wet chuckle as he caught the attempt of the joke. God, he was going to cry. He took a deep breath and forced it down as he wrapped his arms around Gavin to held on for dear life. This is why he swore he'd never fall in love.

He choked on the air as the thought slammed into him: he'd fallen in love. He'd fallen in love with Gavin. The when or how fell away from his thoughts at the moment. All he could think was how he had fallen in love and that Gavin was going to be ripped away from him all too soon, one way or another. Nines didn't voice any of that and instead pressed a soft kiss to Gavin's lips. "Let's get that drink and forget about things for a little while," he suggested instead.

Gavin sighed shakily and nodded, but didn’t let Nines go quite so easily. Before the prince pulled away any further, Gavin grabbed him and forced their lips together in a desperate kiss. He needed this, he needed it more than he felt the need to breathe.

Nines let out a soft moan as he matched the desperation in the kiss. He also needed it, he burned with the need to be close to Gavin - he needed their closeness so much he felt like he might die without it. Nines wasn't going to be the one to break the kiss, and he tangled one of his hands into the mousy brown mess as moved the angle to deepen the kiss. He tried to put all the words he couldn't say into the desperateness of the kiss.

The slave whined into Nines’ mouth and pulled them both against a wall, making sure that Nines was surrounding him. The other man’s warmth and stature made him feel safe and protected, that the nightmare waiting for him when this dreamlike day was over seemed a little further away. 

He should stop, he should really stop. This was already an incredibly dangerous game that they were playing, and while Gavin might have lived through so much already... leaving Nines behind when the time came might be the one thing to finally break him. 

Nines let Gavin lead him towards the wall and just let him do what he needed. A small alarm bell went off in his head, but he ignored it. He more important matters to attend to. "Gav," he moaned out as he had to take a breath before he started the kiss all over again, a hand sliding under the smaller man's shirt. The needy desperation was clouding their judgement.

With a tiny whimper at the heated touch, Gavin broke the kiss and panted in the space between them. “This...this really isn’t the best place for this, is it?” he laughed a little. “I got a bit carried away, sorry. I just-I needed that. I really needed it.”

"I did too," Nines whispered. He really had, in both of the areas. At least he finally felt like he wasn't drowning anymore. Nines briefly considered the risks of them fooling around against the wall, but they'd already been in too much danger today. It just wasn't worth the risk. Nines pulled back a bit and then interlocked his fingers with Gavin's.

"I've been promising you a drink all day. Let's get headed our before all the ale I like is gone," he urged while kissing Gavin's cheek. "We can always go back to my quarters later anyway."

Gavin nodded with a small smile as he let Nines lead them off again. “I like the sound of that,” he whispered, wondering if he could steal one more night with his prince. A tiny smirk came to his face. “I’m having trouble picturing what you are like drunk. I can’t tell if you’d be giggly as hell, or a complete show off.”

Nines turned a bright splotchy red as he scratched the back of his neck. "You won't be getting me drunk enough to find out," he sighed, "but if you must know, I'm a crier. I'm fun the first handful of drinks but one too many and I turn into a puddle of tears and snot. It's gross and I hate it."

That caused Gavin to snigger. “I feel your pain there, I’m the same.” The mental image of them drunk, clinging to each other sobbing like a pair of sods made Nines burst out laughing. Not to mention his soldier friends being like 'these two are fucking made for each other.'

"Okay, note to self, no us getting drunk together in public. I don't think we could live down the fallout of that," Nines snickered.

“I think that’s a damn good idea. Although I like to think that I’m a goddamn comedian in the lead up to getting to that stage. Hard to tell if people laugh at or with me though,” Gavin admitted with a sheepish laugh.

"Okay, that I have to see. I bet you're hilarious," Nines laughed as he finally started to lead them towards the tavern, ready to just enjoy their evening.


	10. Another Life

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> **Skye: Well...that was rather an unexpected break, sorry guys! We. didn't intend to let it sit so long before another update but life has got on top of both of us. Here's hoping this chapter was worth the wait!**
> 
> **PS, anyone who has read one of our other fics **  
_The Great DPD Kink Off _  
** will recognise Stu's self insert character! They are making another appearance in this fic, so I hope you all enjoy the cameo! **

The Cove was one of the several taverns in the capital city. But it's where Nines prefered to visit because on nights like tonight he could run into his friends. He couldn't wait for them to meet Gavin.  “You say that now, you have no idea how terrible my humour is,” Gavin warned him. “So, uh, anything to give me a heads up about before we head in? I’m not gonna cause any fights because of who I am?”

Nines shook his head, "Nah, not for being a foreigner if that's what your asking." He blinked and thought about Brad's loud personality, "Prepare for a ton of sex jokes," he sighed deeply while looking away from Gavin. "Some of these guys have known me for literal years. Which means, a few of them know the extent of my shyness." Nines hoped he didn't have to clarify that half his Platoon knew he was a virgin, and would guess that he wasn't anymore.

“Hah, I’m used to that with Tina. I doubt they’re gonna top someone who tries to make every sentence an innuendo if she can,” Gavin laughed.  “So, no, the sex jokes aren’t going to bother me. And hey, if you unwind around them anything like you do with me, I doubt shyness is going to be an issue,” he smiled warmly. “If anyone’s going to be called out on being shy, it’s going to be me.” 

He really wasn’t sure how they were all going to react to Gavin being from the country which they were still technically at war with. For Nines’ sake, he was really hoping it wouldn’t be an issue.

"Okay, then. Can't say I didn't warn you," Nines said with a fond smile. Then in the distance there was The Cove. It was lively today, a bit of music could be heard, which meant there was a bard hired for tonight.  He paused at the door and turned to Gavin. "You ready?"

Gavin stole a quick kiss before they went in. “Yeah, I’m totally ready for this,” he smiled. “Come on, the fun’s not out here!”

"You got me there," Nines mused as he pushed open the door.  The loudness increased quite a bit and a few people turned to look at the new arrivals. Then several people perked up.

"Fucking Chapman's here!" A deep voice called out, to which several people came to life.

"Holy fuck! He brought a guy with him," a person with bright eyes called out, springing towards them.

"Come on fuckers stop letting the heat out!" the bartender, Jack, called out.

Nines pulled Gavin inside with a grin and lead him to the table with a large black man, a small blonde at his side, a green eyed brunette man, and an older gentleman.  Gavin felt rather like a startled rabbit at the sudden attention and quietly followed Nines in, letting him take the lead while staying relatively close to him.  Before Nines even had a chance to introduce anyone Stu was on their feet. They grabbed Gavin's face and looked at him intently.  "Stu Fowler!" Nines called out, knowing they were up to no good.

"Shut the fuck up!" Stu yelled out in Nines' direction before turning their attention back to Gavin. "Are you here of your own free will or did Chapman hire you as an escort? I can help you out if you need it."

Nines gasped. "Stu!"

Despite the potential awkwardness, Gavin burst out laughing. “Oh fuck no, I’m here of my own free will. Sorry to disappoint you with the lack of story.”  The bluntness helped settle his nerves a lot.

Stu stared ahead and then let out a dramatic sigh. "Fuck," they groaned, "now I have to admit that Niles has game and I'm disgusted."

"Stu!" Nines was horrified. "You can keep that to yourself you're the one who fucking hired that stripper to break into my fucking tent."

"I did do that," Stu snickered.

"Love? Leave the guys alone," Jeffrey scolded them. He turned to Gavin and gave a tight smile, "I'm Jeffrey Fowler and this menace is my spouse, Stu. Forgive them, they're basically a rabid lapdog."

Gavin snickered again. “No forgiveness necessary, I’m quite all right with seeing Niles squirming,” he teased with a wink at Nines.  “I’m Gavin, nice to meet you.”

Nines let out an offended noise, but he was ignored in favor of the conversation.  Brad jumped in to calm the situation down. "Sit down guys, I'll order y'all a drink. But like I forbid Nines from having more than three: I'm not in the mood for your shit today."

The group laughed a bit as Nines and Gavin joined them in the booth.  "Is today shit on Niles day?" Nines groaned out.

"Yes!" The four soldiers chimed at the same time.

"Fuck me."

"Speaking of which," Stu wiggled their eyebrows at Gavin. "How was he?"

Gavin smirked and pretended to ponder it before answering. “That’s my secret,” he purred. He wasn’t the kiss and tell type, and he knew Nines would not be happy sharing.  That was between them and whatever surface they decided to fuck on.

Stu groaned and flopped back against Jeffrey. "Damn, if I can't get it out of you, I sure as hell ain't getting it out of Chapman."

Nines sent Gavin a thankful a smile. "So, how's retirement treating you guys?"

Brad returned with two pints and gave them to the new couple. "I'm adjusting, but sometimes I hate how quiet it is."

"I feel the same," Nines mused.

Stu piped up with a smile. "Jeffrey and me got that house."

"No fucking way, congrats," Nines smiled.

"Well see how it goes before other things come along."

Nines grinned over his pint. "Keep me updated."

Ben finally joined the conversation. "So? Where's the drawings of Gavin?"

At that, Nines turned a bright shade of red. "I don't have any."

"Liar," Brad piped in, which earned some other snickers.

Gavin looked intrigued while blushing faintly. “I know Niles draws, but I’ve not seen any that he’s made of me...”  Wait, Nines had said that he was already working on something earlier, but Gavin had been too embarrassed about making assumptions to ask. Did that mean-

No, no fucking way. No way that Nines was painting him, he couldn’t be. Could he?

Nines let out a choked, loud, and awkward laugh. "I haven't finished it yet!" He said far too loud for his own good. Ah, there's the reason he's gotten his collection of rude nicknames. He coughed into the sudden silence, flushing.

Gavin blinked in surprise. “Uh...that was a bit out of the blue, babe.” And then what Nines said caught up with him. “Wait, you really are doing something of me?” he asked, barely above a whisper. He couldn’t believe it.

The prince gave Gavin a shy smile. "Yes?" He grabbed his pint and swallowed a few drinks before he spoke up again. "I really enjoy doing portraits." Then he barely whispered so that everyone would have to strain to hear. "You're also very handsome."

Another fierce blush worked its way to Gavin’s cheeks and neck, but his eyes softened in adoration. He couldn’t get his head around it right now and wasn’t going to try to.  “You’re biased,” he muttered lovingly, leaning more into Nines. He really wanted to kiss the prince but didn’t know how it would go down in such company.

"Holy shit," Stu gasped, "They're perfect for each other."

Nines ignored them. "Maybe, but I don't think that matters." He leaned in gave Gavin a small peck.

Gavin beamed at him for a second before turning his attention back to everyone else at the table. “So, I think you all know a very different side to Niles than I do. I only know the man of peace, not the soldier. I’ll bet you’ve all got some stories to tell.”  He was curious to know about Nines as a soldier, how he’d got such a reputation; but that didn’t stop him from mouthing ‘sorry’ to Nines in preparation for the onslaught coming.

There was a collective silence at the table for a moment.  Nines blinked at Gavin for a moment - he wasn't sure what kind of stories his friends were gonna tell.  "Yeah, Niles has always been a bit soft, but he's a completely different man behind a sword or a gun," Jeffrey started. "My favourite story about him is the time we were on the lines near Jericho and Chapman cut a man's musket in half with his sword."

“Holy- I’m sorry but how the fuck did you manage that?” Gavin gaped, staring at Nines in awe.

Nines blinked, the vague memory dancing across his vision. "The main war with Jericho was towards the beginning, I was a lot angrier then," he shrugged, as if that was an answer.

“Damn...would have hated to cross you. Guess I’m lucky you decided I was one of the good guys despite my nationality, huh?” he teased gently, giving Nines a soft smile

The prince smiled back. "I'm glad I met you after I retired." 

"Speaking of that, how the hell did you end up dating Niles?" Brad asked, "It's not very often we see someone of your shade over here."

"What the fuck, Standford?" Nines asked in shock.

Gavin just shrugged it off. “Pure chance. We crossed paths and...something clicked. I’m not entirely sure how it happened myself, but I’m far from complaining,” he explained with a smile. “But it might surprise you all to know that he’s the one who approached me.”  He just winked when Nines scowled at him.  Nines looked at Gavin for effect and when he turned to look back at the group, they were all staring at him. He smiled and shrugged.

"No way," Stu waved their hands around, "you, Mr. Stabby Shy Boy had the nerve to talk to someone. What the fuck were you smoking? I want some."

A chorus of laughs rang out. "Come on Chapman, spill," Brad chirped.

Nines swallowed as he answered. "I wasn't high, I just decided Gavin was handsome enough that I had to talk to him. Nothing too crazy."

Gavin blushed and gave Nines a disbeleiving look. “Well, I dunno. You’ve decided being with me is a good idea - that’s pretty fucking crazy in all honesty.” It truly amazed him how little they were lying. Well, lying was maybe the wrong term - they just hadn’t elaborated on the full details.

"Oh, god," Stu groaned and looked at Jeffrey, "are we like that?"

"Yes," Nines answered without hesitation.

Jeffrey chuckled warmly. "Stu, we all know you're a big softy at heart."

"How dare," Stu gasped. "You guys asked for this. There was this one time Niles decided that he should paint all the sword handles..."  The six of them spent the rest of the night chatting, sharing stories, and having a few drinks. It was everything Nines could have asked for from a night at The Cove.

As the night went on and he’d had a bit more alcohol, Gavin felt comfortable enough to lean into Nines and not be so shy about it. Stu and Jeffrey were doing the same thing, so Gavin wasn’t as conscious anymore.  Plus, he was enjoying any excuse to be right next to his prince.

Nines was really enjoying himself. Gavin has loosened up and his friends had calmed down on the picking, but when a yawn racked his body he knew it was time to call it a night.  "Gav?" he asked softly. "Ready to head out? It's getting late." He hated the fact that the night was coming to an end, but they really did need to be getting back .

Leaving was the last thing Gavin wanted to do, but he knew that delaying wouldn’t be a smart idea. They’d pushed their luck enough today, there was no sense in tempting fate.  “No, but you’re right,” he sighed. “We’d better head back.”

"Yeah, we should." Nines stood up and offered Gavin a hand.

"Leaving already?" Brad asked after taking a long pull of his drink.

"Looks like it. It's late and I have things to do," Nines replied as he hooked a arm around Gavin's waist.

Stu whistled. "Just say that your leaving to fuck. Shit."

"Wouldn't you like to know," Nines mocked back. "But in all seriousness, bye guys tonight has been fucking wonderful." Following a chorus of 'goodbyes' and 'good to have met yous' to Gavin, they were walking out of the bar.

Gavin just about kept back a melancholy sigh, unaware that his posture was slumping slightly. “Your friends are a riot. It’s nice to know that you have people you can be like that with,” he said softly.  “It must be strange though, given that you all bonded during a war and you see each other during peace now. This might be a bit of an odd question but...would you go back to then? I don’t just mean being a soldier, but everything that went with it?”

Nines sucked in a breath. He looked at Gavin and searched his face. Did he know? How could he not? 

He shook his head in the negative. "No, I wouldn't. The costs of war are far too great. Sure, I came out with friends but I also lost some. People lose so much to the godforsaken battle field," he swallowed around a surge of emotion. His next words came out a bit choked. "I liked being a soldier just as much as I fucking hated it."

Wincing at the reaction that had brought about, Gavin bowed his head in shame. "Sorry, I didn't mean to upset you." He had a lot of questions, but now he was too ashamed to ask them. 

How could he explain to Nines that as Elijah's slave - who had never set foot outside the castle of his own free will, and even then he could count on one hand how often it had been at all - that he knew almost nothing of how the world worked beyond those walls?  He felt incredibly stupid. How insensitive must he have some across? Rather than risk doing any more damage, he kept silent as they went on walking.

Nines gently moves his hand to the back of Gavin's neck and rubbed a few soothing circles there. "You didn't. It's just a question, sorry I got snippy." He took a deep breath. "The war is a bit of a touchy subject at times. I'm sorry for that too. Maybe one day we can sit down and I can tell you the whole story, but I can't do that right yet. And that has nothing to do with you. It's just... sensitive."

Gavin nodded solemnly, eyes still fixed on the ground as they kept on walking. He really didn't know where to go from there, or where to direct the conversation next. His thoughts kept drifting back to what lay in waiting back at the castle and his stomach flipped in remembrance:  Elijah had sent someone to follow him, he was getting suspicious of Gavin spending so much time away. He had to wonder how much longer he could keep on pushing his luck before it finally ran out.

The prince noticed a shift in Gavin's mood and it looked to be for the worse. He stopped walking and pulled his lover into his arms, planting a soft kiss on the other's head. "Hey? You look really upset. Are you okay?" he whispered into Gavin's mess of soft brown hair.

Despite his lingering shame, Gavin hugged back tightly. He needed this, these innocent moments. They comforted him like nothing else could. Taking a shaky breath, he replied quietly. "Thank you for today. It was...I'll always treasure it. I've never had a day to just be me. This is a freedom I've never had.  I don't know how I can go back after this," he admitted. "Not when I've had a taste of what living actually means."

Nines felt his heart clench and bile roil in his stomach. Gavin was right, he'd have to go back to being a severely abused slave sooner or later. What a fucking sick joke the world had played on them. Several crazy schemes ran through his mind: faking death, running away, or eloping. All just impossible as the last.  He was truly lost for words and shook his head slightly. The prince moved one of his hands and caressed Gavin's face as he pulled the smaller man into a soft kiss, knowing nothing he could say aloud would be enough at the moment. Why couldn't things just be different?

Sighing into the kiss, Gavin pulled away and gave Nines a heartfelt smile. "Never know, I might piss Elijah off enough so that I don't have to learn how to adapt back home." It was a piss poor joke and he knew it, but a morbid sense of humour was how he got through his days. "I'm sure I'm in for it when I get back already..."

Catching the joke, Nines decided to make a terrible one of his own. "Who knows? Croquet can get pretty crazy. Or even better, think I could talk him into a game of lawn darts?"

Gavin spluttered. "Careful about lawn darts, he'd suggest making me the dart board I'm sure. Then again, I figure you might just decide to make him the dart board."

"I have very good aim," Nines giggled and winked.

"I don't doubt it from what your friends said," Gavin smiled back at him. After a moment, he sighed and buried his head back into Nines' chest. "What are we going to do, Ni?"

Nines wrapped his arms around Gavin and held on tight. "I don't know. I'm so sorry, I just don't know." He shook his head and sighed. "I would do anything to keep you safe and I'm so lost because I just don't know how to do that." His breathing was shaky with barely contained emotion, the hopelessness slamming into him hard.

Gavin smiled into his chest even as he began to cry silently. "I know you would," he whispered, heart hammering with what he felt for this man. He wished they had met another way, that they could have had a genuine chance at sharing something for a lifetime. It didn't take a genius to figure out Gavin's feelings, but he couldn't admit it. Admitting it would make everything a million times worse.  He took a deep breath before speaking again. "Sorry, I should have asked before. Are you okay with me calling you that?"

"I like it. I like it so much," Nines choked out as he finally felt the tears slip down his cheeks. Fate was far too cruel. It had already taken so much from them and it just had to give a little and take so much more.  Stealing: that's what you could call what they were doing. Stealing what they were never supposed to have in the first place. Both born into roles where happiness and love weren't allowed, let alone combined together. Luxuries that even royalty couldn't afford.

"Ni..." Gavin pulled back to stare at Nines again, "we have to go." He hated himself for saying it, but it was true. Time was not something they had, and Gavin was terrified that Elijah had sent someone else to track them. It would be just his style.

The prince wiped away the tears on Gavin's face and leaned forward, putting his forehead onto his lover's. "I know." He swallowed, knowing that he had one more selfish question before he could let Gavin go. "Are you going to stay with me one more night?"

The was no way Gavin would even dream of saying no - Elijah could go fuck himself, given what Gavin could guess was going to happen. There was a fair chance this would be the last time he would see Nines, and he wasn't going to lose out on the chance to enjoy one final night with him.  "For as long as you'd have me," he whispered back with a sad smile.

"Of course," Nines said with a sad smile of his own. "Come on. We have to get past the guards. This way." 

He grabbed his lover's hand and started to lead him towards the castle grounds.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Stu: I will cause chaos in all my stories xD
> 
> But yeah sorry about the wait! I'm in my last semester of University.


	11. One Night To Be Loved

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> **Skye: Okay, so this chapter has a gratuitous amount of smut in it, it's almost criminal given the length of it. Still, who can resist these two being soft? Certainly not us!**
> 
> **Oh btw guys, in case anyone is wondering, this RP is still being written out. But we're at something like 200k words that we're working through editing...? Who knows how long this adventure will be in the end!**

After some stealthy travel through the grounds, they were safe in Nines' study. Gavin spun as they entered the room again, watching Nines shut the latch behind them. While the prince was locking up, Gavin's eyes strayed to the painting station and he wondered about what lay beneath the sheet covering it. He blushed as he remembered Nines admitting to working on something of him. 

Would that be why Nines covered it, in case Connor came in?

Nines stood up once he was finished and hummed. He'd turned to give Gavin a kiss, but noticed he was staring at the covered easel. The prince turned a bright red: it had come up at the tavern that he was working on a painting of Gavin. He forced the nerves down as far as he could. "Would you like to see what I have done so far?" he asked out of the blue.

That caught Gavin by surprise and he looked at Nines, intrigued. "You would show me? I would have guessed that you wouldn't want anyone to see anything that was unfinished."

"Normally, you'd be absolutely correct, but I feel like I need to show you it," Nines said quickly, leaving the 'you may never get the chance to see it finished' unsaid. He walked over and grabbed the sheet, pulling it off with no preamble or time to chicken out.

Gavin stood in stunned silence for a few seconds before walking over, running his fingers over the raised edges of the paint already there. Nines had painted him sitting on a bench in a garden - just like the one they had first kissed on - with a book in one hand and looking upwards, almost as if Gavin was turning to smile up at Nines. It was so peaceful and...free.

More tears welled up in his eyes and he spun to face Nines again. "This is how you see me? I'm nothing like this." In the painting he was strong, poised and confident; nothing like the brutalised shell he was in reality.

Nines clutched the sheet to his chest, his face burning. "You're right," he swallowed around the nervous tightness in his throat, "I could never hope to capture how I really see you. You're too wonderful for even the best painter in the world to capture."

That left Gavin speechless and he turned back to the painting, running a hand over it reverently. "Except I'm not this, Ni, I'm just a ghost that should never have been. I don't know how you could see me like this." His hand came up to brush over the brand on his chest again. "I'm what he's made me to be. I couldn't hope to live up to anything you see."

The prince dropped the sheet and pulled Gavin into a crushing hug. "I see you as you are, I don't know you as a slave. I know you as Gavin. You live up to how I see you because you are you." He shook his head and let out a soft chuckle. "You see me as more than a prince: a person groomed from the day I was born to take over a throne that would only be mine through death. You see as more than a scarred up soldier. You see me for me, just the same."

Gavin was frozen by Nines' words but soon embraced him back, breathing the prince in. "It's what made me think of it, you know: calling you 'Ni'. You're both the prince and the soldier - two different pieces of a puzzle that mesh together to make who you are. Neither defines who you are, you're so much more than that." His eyes clouded a little and he gripped tighter. "I really wish I could be what you deserve, give you all that I wish I could. I can only hope what I could offer is enough."

Nines gripped Gavin's shirt and held on. "You're everything I could have ever asked for. I'll take whatever you're willing to give me."

Pulling back, he stared into Nines' eyes. "Ni...take-take me to bed, please. I want to feel you. I want-" Nope, that last bit wasn't coming out. That was getting way too dangerous.

"Okay," Nines whispered and leaned down to kiss Gavin softly. Then, without any warning, he scooped the smaller man up and started carrying him towards the hidden staircase. "Whatever you ask, darling. I'd do anything for you."

Gavin linked his arms around Nines' neck and burrowed into him, staying there until he felt them emerge into Nines' bedroom. Even then, he only lifted his head slightly so that he could leave tender kisses along the length of Nines' throat. Nines hummed at the sweet contact and once the door was closed behind them, he didn't hesitate to walk them over to the bed. The room was still in the state as was when they left, which meant no separating to look for the necessities. Nines sat Gavin down the bed and pulled him into a passionate kiss, his hands travelling up and down his smaller lover's sides.

Whining into the kiss, Gavin swiftly pulled Nines atop him and wrapped his legs loosely around Nines' hips. "God, Ni, I want you. I want you so much it feels like it burns," he panted before kissing Nines desperately.

Nines willing let Gavin lead him. He found he liked that a lot more than being in control. "I know, baby. I know." He slid his hands underneath Gavin's shirt, the other's skin warm and lovely. Nines felt an urgency creep up and he started to pull at the offending article of clothing. Gavin sat up and helped him, casting the jacket aside while helping Nines strip the shirt off him. Once it was gone he lay back and stared up at Nines, panting lightly as his heart felt like it was going to beat right through the brand carved on to him. 

He wished it could, it belonged completely and utterly to Nines already.

The prince leaned forward and started planting open mouth kisses on Gavin's exposed chest, being extra mindful of all the little injuries. A spike of possessiveness ran through him and he sucked at the crook of Gavin's neck. He wanted to leave better marks: something temporary and something made from love.

A gasp tore from Gavin's throat as he felt Nines pull a mark and it had the smaller man squirming. "Oh fuck yes...mark me, Ni. Claim me as yours, please."

Nines shuddered at the begging. He moved to the other side of his lover's neck and pulled another. "Anything for you," he mumbled, darkening another patch of skin. "Mine. Mine. Mine," he chanted, punctuating each one with another love bite, one of his hands traveling to the hem of Gavin's pants.

"God yes, I'm yours..." Gavin whined while lifting his ass, letting Nines pull the rest of his clothes away and leave him bare on the bed, cock already rock hard. "Ni, baby..." It felt like Nines' stare was boring into him, it was exhilarating.

The prince dropped to his knees started sucking love bites into the inside of Gavin's thighs. He even started to massage his love's hips, wanting to spoil him while he had the chance. Gavin whimpered at the attention and bit his lip, trying not to get overwhelmed. It was difficult though when Nines was showering him with so much affection.

After a few more marks, Nines turned his attention to Gavin's leaking cock. He smiled to himself before he took the whole thing. He pulled back up, hollowing his cheeks and quickly finding a comfortable pace. Determined to draw as much noise out of Gavin as he could.

"Oh! Oh fuck, ngh!" Gavin tried his hardest not to shout, not knowing if he'd be heard through the doors of not. If the guards heard him, that would have this ending a lot sooner than either of them wanted. "Shit, baby, how-how are you so good at this?" he gasped out, trying not to thrust straight into the warmth of Nines' throat.

Nines pulled off slowly and grinned. "Enthusiasm," he answered earnestly before licking a stripe up the underside, then diving back on with aforementioned enthusiasm.

"Fuck!" Gavin let a small thrust slip and bit into his fist, barely keeping a louder groan back. "Ni, if you keep going like that I'm not going to last. You feel so amazing..."

The taller man looked up at Gavin through his eyelashes and debated about if he wanted him to finish in his mouth, but the promise of more made him pull back with a soft pop. He sat back on his heels and put his hands in his lap while looking up and grinning. His lips were wet and a little red, and being completely dressed he could only hope he looked as appealing as he was going for. "What _ do _you want, Gav?" He blinked and waited.

Everything was crashing on top of Gavin now. Already so keyed up and emotional at the thought that this could be the last night he got to spend with Nines, he reached desperately for the prince and pulled him back on top, kissing him as if Nines could offer him the only air that would let him breathe. His hands scrambled against Nines' clothes as he pulled back to pant. "I-I need to feel you against me. I want you to fu..." Gavin decided to throw caution completely to the wind: he might not ever get this chance again. He wanted this to be more, and for Nines to know exactly what he needed this to be. His plea was whispered against Nines' lips. "Make love to me, Ni. _ Please. _"

Nines shivered and moaned, ears burning. "Gav, I, uh..." He swallowed and tangled his hands into Gavin's hair. "Yes, let's make love. _ Please." _He moved his hands to Gavin's sides and picked the smaller man up before placing him onto the pillows and reaching for the bottle of oil. "How do you want us to make love?"

After finally getting Nines' shirt off, Gavin wrapped his legs around Nines' waist again, groaning at the friction of Nines' clothed dick coming to rest against his bare one. He pulled Nines into another frenzied kiss before speaking into his ear softly. "Claim me, please. Make me yours completely. I want to always remember us like this."

The prince groaned and covered his face. Gavin was fantastic at overwhelming him. "You're gonna kill me talking like that," he chuckled shyly, "but don't stop, just give me a second." He took a deep breath to steady himself.

Gavin noticed the small change and reached up to cup Nines' face, staring into his eyes. "Ni?"

Nines took another deep breath to try and compose himself. His chest was filling with emotions he felt would choke him if he didn't get them out. "Gavin, I need you to know that.." He swallowed around the lump in his throat as his hands moved to cup Gavin's face. "I love you, I need you to know that. I needed you to hear that."

Grey-blue eyes went wide in shock. He couldn't believe what he'd just heard...but it broke down his last will to deny what he knew already, what he'd been trying to convince himself against all day but failing miserably. "You're an idiot for loving a slave, Ni," he laughed as happy tears escaped, "but not as much of an idiot as the slave who loves his prince with everything he has, what little it is to offer."

"I've never said I was smart." Nines wiped Gavin's tears away and gave his own watery smile. "You're more than enough. You're all I could have ever asked for." He then pulled Gavin into a desperate kiss. "Oh, I love you so much it makes me feel my chest is going to explode." It felt so good to admit.

“That makes two of us then,” Gavin laughed, pulling Nines down into a slower, more sensual kiss. His hands then reached for Nines’ belt and unclipped it gently, relishing the clink of it releasing, before watching raptly as he pushed the clothes away. “God, Ni, I could just stare at you all day and never be bored,” he whispered, mapping the scars across Nines’ body. “You’re a wonder, baby.”

A shy giggle escaped Nines. "That tickles," he murmured.

Gavin’s eyes flashed in mischief - he’d be exploring that later - but first he pulled Nines down again so that he could press loving kisses to every one of the scars, worshipping the prince’s body.

Nines' blush spread to his chest in a splotchy mess. He was self-conscious of his scars and the stories they told, but the way Gavin was relishing in them made him feel a little bit different. He felt so loved and worshipped, it was more than he ever thought he would deserve. "Gavin," he whispered softly, trying to express the bloom of emotions that the kisses and soft touch made him feel.

Determined to make his prince a mewling mess, Gavin latched on to a nipple and started worrying it with his teeth while grinding up against him. His nails dug very finely into Nines' back and pulled along slowly, with Gavin groaning at how it made Nines arch in reply. Nines screwed his eyes shut and his mouth fell open. Several soft noises escaped past his lips completely involuntary. His hands clutched at Gavin's shoulders as he held on for dear life and he let his love do whatever he pleased.

“God, I love how you react. You’re so sensitive,” Gavin whispered blissfully as he kissed his way from one nipple to the other, his hands shifting up to bury in Nines’ hair. He started pressing his hips against Nines’ with more intent, thriving in the friction against his cock. “Fuck...”

Nines let out a noise that could really only be described a squeak. He couldn't decide on which sensation to chase: the inviting heat of Gavin's mouth or the friction on his cock. That being said, he was quickly being reduced into a quivering mess, only able to ride out on the pleasure Gavin was showering him in. "Gavin, _ please," _he moaned out, unsure of what he was begging for.

“I love you, Ni. Fuck, I love you so goddamned much,” he breathed while bringing Nines’ lips down to lock them into a desperate kiss. “How...how are we doing this?” he gasped.

"I love you so much too," Nines replied happily, the next question not really sinking in all the way. "I-I don't know," he mumbled, "I'm usually too shy to talk to people. I still have n-no idea how I managed to get m-my courage up at that p-painting." Rambling was something he was good at, but right now it was a mess of moans and breathy speech.

Gavin laughed at the answer and kissed Nines lovingly. “I guess that’s answered it, somewhat indirectly,” he smiled. “I don’t think you’re able to do much more than just take what I give you right now,” he sighed.

Nines hummed and nodded into the kiss, effectively breaking it. He smiled widely then buried his face into the crook of Gavin's neck, giving a soft bite as he sucked another mark in. “Fu...” Gavin groaned and gently rolled them, reversing their positions and laying his lips on Nines skin. “Can I mark you?” he whispered, licking the skin as he waited.

"Yes! Please, _ please," _Nines moaned out as his hands went to Gavin's hair, massaging his lover's scalp. "Make me yours. Let everyone know that I belong to you."

The desperation in Nines’ voice caused Gavin to latch on and suck hard, pulling a deep bruise that he hoped would last a long time. Nines’ whine in reply spurred him on and he made a mate for it on the other side while pushing the other man’s pants out of the way. "Oh, fuck," Nines groaned. One of his hands moved from Gavin to his new hickey and started to poke at the mark. The sharp bite of pain made him bite at his lip and let out a soft hiss.

Gavin quickly got Nines as naked as he was and started grinding against him slowly, teasing while pulling on the other man’s hair. He growled and latched on to one of the marks, making it even darker. Even though he knew it wasn’t possible, he wanted it to mark Nines permanently. Then the prince could always remember this night beyond whatever came next.

"God, you feel so good," Nines hissed out, his eyes rolling to the back of his head. He was so hard it was starting to ache. The teasing was wonderful but it was officially bordering on too much. _ "Gav," _he hissed out as he reached a hand down to where Gavin was grinding their dicks together, gripping them and giving a few tentative strokes.

“Oh fuck...” Gavin buried his head into the crook of Nines’ neck and gasped into the prince’s neck. “Ni, where did you put the oil?” he breathed out.

Nines' brain was lagging as he tried to think of the answer. He looked over at the nightstand and frowned. It wasn't there, and then he remembered. "Uh, I dropped it somewhere," he replied sheepishly.

Gavin looked down at him before letting out a laugh. “Are you fucking kidding me?” he wheezed, leaning down to kiss Nines. “I’m blaming you for me about to get cold.” And with that he pulled back reluctantly to stand and look for the oil.

The prince sat up on his elbows and laughed. "I'll have you know, I have never claimed to be good at things. You're honestly lucky you haven't watched me fall down the stairs yet. Or run into a wall," he chuckled and ran a hand down his face. "My etiquette teachers hated me." Nines then rolled over to help with the search. "I think it may have ended up under the bed."

Giving a dramatic sigh, Gavin knelt down to look. “Enjoy the view then,” he winked before bending over and under the bed, wiggling his ass deliberately right in Nines’ face. Nines blinked and a mischievous idea ran through him. He reached out and grabbed onto Gavin's hips to licked a wet stripe down to his exposed hole. Gavin jumped from where he was under the bed and bashed his head on the underside, groaning loudly. “Fucking owww...”

_ "Oh shit," _Nines gasped and scrambled off the bed to check on Gavin. "Are you okay?"

“Yeah, I’m fine...” he grumbled before showing off his prize to Nines happily. “Found it,” he grinned. “Though I think you owe me for that, Ni...”

Nines smiled and offered Gavin a hand up, pulling him up into a deep kiss. "Seems fair. What could I do to make up for my heinous crimes?"

Gavin winked at him and crawled back onto the bed, leaning forward to leave his ass high and on display. “You can finish what you started,” he breathed through heavy lidded eyes.

A small smile broke out on Nines' face as he licked his lips. "I can do that." He reached forward and gently grabbed Gavin's ass cheeks, pulling them apart. Nines wasn't entirely sure how to proceed, but he could accomplish anything with enthusiasm, only hesitating for a few more seconds before he dove in.

A low keen escaped from Gavin’s throat as he felt the warmth of Nines’ tongue and he had to fight to stay kneeling. “Oh my god, baby...holy shit! Fuck, you feel so fucking amazing...” The praise had Nines letting out a keening noise against Gavin, the praise going right to his dick. He licked into the tight muscle with a tiny bit of force; Nines enjoyed the feel and the taste of such an intimate part of his lover. After a few more licks, he slid a hand to Gavin's dick and started to pump slowly.

“God fucking dammit,” Gavin panted, thrashing on the bed. “Ni, Ni, baby- I love you, god I love you. I love how you feel, I love how you sound, I love what you do and I- _ Fuck _! Ni, please, I need to feel more of you inside me. I need your fingers, your cock, I need anything!” He’d descended into full babbling now but Gavin wasn’t caring - he was high on the feelings Nines was evoking.

"I love you so much, too. You're so perfect, I'll give you everything. I love making you happy. I love you,” Nines whispered, pulling back. Gavin's constant stream made his dick twitch, but he ignored the urge to stroke himself. He grabbed the bottle of oil and slicked up his fingers instead. Nines teased one at Gavin's entrance and slowly sank the finger in, curling it a bit to evoke more noises from his love. Then he dove back in, licking the stretched hole around his finger.

“Oh fuck...fuck fuck _ fuck _...” Gavin mewled at the twin sensations of Nines’ tongue and probing finger, arching his back as deep as he could. His mind was completely lost to the pleasure. Nines keep working Gavin open until he was able to slip a second finger into his lover. He was completely enraptured in taking care of Gavin to the fullest extent of his power, because this wasn't just some fling or a clumsy fuck on a couch. No, this was making love to the man who he had fallen head over heels for.

Gavin moaned a little louder and pressed back as Nines slid in a third finger, rocking into him with slow motions. When the fingers finally brushed against his prostate, Gavin bit down on his hand to not scream too loudly. “Oh _ god _Ni...”

"I've got you, love. I've got you, " Nines cooed as tried to mimic the motion by curling his fingers again. Judging by Gavin's barely contained screams he was doing something right. He pulled his mouth away from Gavin's entrance, panting desperately. "Gav?" He took a breath to calm his nerves. "You ready for me to make love to you?"

“Yes, yes baby _ please _,” he begged, whining when Nines pulled his fingers and mouth away. He felt so empty but a look back confirmed that Nines was slicking his length and it made Gavin’s mouth water.

"Love? I want to see you," Nines whispered. He wanted this to be special: he wanted to hold and kiss and watch Gavin as they moved together. He wanted nothing more.

Gavin quickly scrambled onto his back and spread his legs wide, inviting Nines between them. “Me too,” he whispered back.

Nines smiled and leaned forward. He kissed Gavin softly as he caressed his cheek. "I love you. I love you so much," he whispered as he moved to line them up. The position was new, but they just had a habit of falling together perfectly. With a final soft kiss Nines started to push in, the silky heat lighting him aflame with pleasure.

Feeling Nines slide in made Gavin sigh out in bliss and he kissed his prince slowly. "I love you too," he breathed back, moaning as Nines pulled back to start a languid pace. Gavin wrapped his legs around Nines' waist to change the angle a little more and it caused him to arch up, throwing his head back in ecstasy. Nines let out a soft, and probably pathetic, whine. He buried his face into the crook of Gavin's neck.

The prince placed open mouthed kisses and little nibbles on the skin there as he slowly moved. "Oh, god. Gavin you feel so good. You're so good. God, I love you," he started to babble almost directly into his smaller lover's ear.

Gavin panted and whined as Nines began thrusting, clinging on as hard as he could with the deadlock around Nines' waist. "Ni, harder baby. Please, I want to feel you deep inside me." If it was possible Nines felt even more embarrassed heat run though him. He nodded into Gavin's neck and started to move faster, with more purpose. Trying his damnedest to give Gavin everything he asked for. He moaned at the change in pace himself and was starting to lose himself to it. Gavin felt so fucking good.

Moans were coming out of Gavin freely now and he wrapped his arms around Nines' shoulders while locking their lips together. He was quickly getting lost to their lovemaking but he didn't want it to be over so soon. He wanted to stay like this with Nines forever.

Nines was completely lost in the moment. Everything was so perfect and he couldn't have been happier. He felt the tension in his stomach coiling and decided he didn't want the moment to end yet, so slowed his pace down a bit. Gavin whined when Nines slowed down, which dissolved into gasps as Nines reached for the smaller man's leaking dick and gave it a few soft strokes as he caught his breath. "Baby, why did you stop?" Gavin pleaded.

"Just give me a second, love," Nines gasped out before he leaned down and kissed Gavin passionately. Once the tightness faded a bit he started to move faster again.

"Oh fuck..." Gavin gasped and started thrusting back against him. "Fuck Ni, I'm getting so close..."

"Me too, Gav," Nines nodded in reply. He made sure to increase his speed of his hips along with his hand on Gavin's cock - he wanted to watch his love lose himself to ecstasy, watch him fall into pleasure. "I love you, Gavin," he cooed as he started to lose his own rhythm.

"Shit, shit, shit, _ Ni!" _Gavin swallowed back on a scream and whined instead, leaning up to bite into Nines' shoulder to muffle it. He spilled between them and trembled through the aftershocks. Nines let out a choked noise and the feeling of Gavin clenching around him was enough to push Nines over the edge. He let out a series of soft, pitched moans as wrapped his arms around Gavin and crushed them together, whining a bit as he kept moving even after his orgasm began to wind down: not wanting the moment to end quite yet.

Gavin panted as he came down off his high and sprawled back, keeping his legs around Nines' waist because he didn't want to let the prince slip from him just yet. "Ni.." he whispered, emotional tears spilling over now that the moment had passed.

"Oh, Gavin," Nines whispered, his own tears slipping from his eyes. He dropped his forehead against Gavin's and his hands went to his lover's cheeks. "What I would do for you," he choked out, emotions causing his voice to crack.

Laughing through his tears, Gavin kissed Nines lovingly. "I'd love to know sometime," he smiled. "Maybe you'd get the chance to show me, if the world suddenly turns upside down."

Nines grinned and made a motion to roll then over. It was a bit awkward, with them still tangled together, but Nines was pretty strong. "Like that?" he giggled as Gavin blinked at the sudden change.

Gavin stuttered out a laugh and kissed Nines deeply. "If only it was that easy," he smiled gently. "Then we could just run and make a life somewhere else."

The prince's smile fell a little at Gavin's words. "Would you want to do that? Because we could. I know this country like the back of my hand. Hell, we could even go to Jericho."

Thinking about it for a while, Gavin shook his head. "Ni, I know what it's like to have nothing. You've got a family, friends....I couldn't take you away from that. This may not be the best life for you, but it _ is _a life."

"But I'd have you," Nines declared and caressed his love. "I may have a life here, but it's never been one I wanted. If I went with you, I'd have love and a choice in my own fate."

"Ni..." Gavin was tempted, he was so tempted...but he couldn't. If today had taught him one thing, it was that he couldn't truly escape Elijah. If he'd sent someone to follow them here, what was to stop him from sending more people to hunt them if they ran? And if they were no-one, there would be nothing to protect them. "We can't," he croaked out. "I can't risk you."

Nines sighed. "I'm so scared for you Gavin. I just got you and I'm terrified to lose you. I'm terrified of you being hurt." The tears were falling anew again. He was so torn, he understood Gavin's reluctance, but they could leave and go where no one could find them. "Are you sure?"

"Ni, I'd do anything to protect you...even stay as Elijah's slave," he whispered between them. "I won't endanger you for my safety."

"My safety?" Nines felt a stirring of old negative emotions. He had to let Gavin know he could take care of them both. "Do you plan on stabbing me?" He whispered, trying not to sound accusing but more genuine.

"Fuck no, I never could!" Gavin yelped. "But Elijah is ruthless, and you saw how he had us followed today. And you've not seen the worst of what he can do..." his hand ran to the scars all along his abdomen, remembering how well they came about with a shudder. "I won't put you in his sights."

"Gavin, I..." Nines kissed Gavin lightly, "You've only seen glimpses of what I'm capable of, but unlike with others I will use that to keep us safe. And if King Elijah wants to do something about us, he'd have a difficult time getting past me. That I can promise." A shudder ran through Nines' body. "Elijah won't be the first out to hurt me and he likely won't be the last if I stay here."

"What about Connor, Ni? He's your brother. Could you really just leave him behind with the intention of _ never _coming back?" Gavin asked softly.

Nines bit his lip and looked away: the trump card, the last of his family. "Connor would be fine," he said, the lie hollow even to his own ears.

Smiling sadly, Gavin kissed him slowly. "Maybe, but could you do that to him? Just up and leave? You're family...and I'd give anything to have one," he finished quietly.

The prince just gave an awkward crooked smile in reply. "I've done it before. Connor is the king first, my brother second. Sometimes I think he forgets that I'm more than just a rebellious heir." He ran a hand down Gavin's side in reassurance. "But I'll leave the final decision on running away to you. Just know that the option is open."

"I appreciate the offer," Gavin smiled softly. "We still have a few days more. You might convince me before the peace talks are over," he offered, even thought Gavin knew it might end up being an empty one.

"I'll try my best," Nines replied with a bright smile. He moved a little but as his skin was starting to get tacky and Nines winced. "Would you like to take a warm bath with me?" he asked as he gave Gavin a light peck.

"A bath sounds wonderful" Gavin sighed contentedly. "Even better if I'm getting to share it with you."

"Perfect," Nines said as he sat up and took Gavin with him. "Let's get headed that way then."


	12. Safe Haven

They slowly untangled and headed through to the bathroom, Gavin smiling as he blatantly stared at Nines' ass while the prince poured the bath. "Nice view," he complimented with a wink.

Nines giggled and blushed lightly in reply. "Thank you." Nines went through the motions of setting up the bath from memory: a small fire to warm it, some oils for fragrance etc. Once he was satisfied, he offered a hand to Gavin. "Come on, the water should be warm enough now."

Gavin took it gratefully and sank into the way with a groan, smiling up at Nines. “Where do you want to go?” he asked gently.

"The tub?" Nines drew out, slightly confused as he promptly stepped into the water and sank down into Gavin's lap with his back to the smaller man's chest. He sighed and reached out and intertwined their fingers together.

“I meant did you want to go in front of or behind me, but you’ve answered the question for me,” Gavin laughed lightly, pressing kisses to the back of Nines’ neck.

"Oh," Nines blinked, laughing it off as he leaned into Gavin's touch.

“I love getting to hold you like this,” Gavin whispered into his prince's skin.

"I love being held by you like this. Makes me feel valued and loved." Nines slipped his eyes closed and practically purred at the closeness.

“You are, Ni. You are so valued and loved,” Gavin told him empathically, pulling another mark at the base of Nines’ neck. “And if anyone doubts that, they’re a fool.”

Nines let out a soft moan at the new mark. "As long as I have you," he mused and went to poke at the dark bruise by his neck. "I like these. They really stand out against my skin."

“Keep that up and you’ll have them for a long time,” Gavin smiled, pleased by the idea. It was petty, but he loved the idea of there being a public sign that Gavin meant something to Nines. For a man who owned nothing, getting that little claim over the prince felt truly special.

"Good," Nines poked at the bruise for a little longer. "I hope Connor gets a look at them. He'd probably have a heart attack." The image was a funny one to Nines at least.

Gavin snorted at the mental image. "I could just imagine him wanting my head if he found out who it was," he joked. "How do you think he'd react if he found out you were in love with someone from Elijah's kingdom?

Nines' face morphed into an indignant expression. "Considering he's been sleeping with the head of the royal guard for a few years now, he can't say a fucking word."

That caught Gavin off guard. "Wait, what? Really? That's why Connor's never married?"

"Yu**p**," Nines said popping the 'p.' "He keeps saying he's going to find a politically based suiter, but he hasn't yet. Though I will say, I've been telling him to marry Hank the whole time."

"I guess as the King he's got other considerations," Gavin wondered. "Would his lover really be such a poor choice of spouse, or does he have somewhat of a reputation?"

"I mean I like Hank," Nines shrugged, "but it's not really my place to say if he'd be a good prince or not." A short laugh escaped Nines. "He'd probably be better at it than me."

"Sounds like an interesting character," Gavin smiled. "Must be good for Connor if you like him. And come on, Ni, that's hardly a fair comparison. Presumably he'd want it if he married Connor, unlike you who was born into it against your will."

"Who knows," Nines let his eyes slip close. "Part of me wants Connor to get married so I can stop being first in line. I hate the fact that I'm forced to stay around this prison of a castle in case my brother up and dies." His eyes flew open in mild horror. "That was morbid, I'm sorry."

"Don't be, I can understand the resentment around being caged and all the issues with lineage," Gavin chuckled darkly. "Though fuck knows why Elijah's not got an heir, he's been messing around with Chloe for long enough. It's something we've always wondered back home." He shook his head slightly. "Sorry, a bit off track there, but it just made me think," he snorted.

"No, go ahead talk away," Nines said with a lazy dismissive wave. "Royals make no fucking sense; political this, image that. It's infuriating."

"Ain't that the fucking truth...I've heard enough shit in Elijah's court," Gavin sighed. "All the underhanded and backstabbing shit that goes on there is insane. How the fuck does Connor keep fobbing off all the marriage proposals that I'm sure come his way? Single Kings normally get swamped with them."

"We don't often allow visitors, so that saves him the face to face shit," Nines hummed. "He does get invitations to all the balls and the like, he just uses them as an excuse to dress up when he goes. Which is a long winded way of saying he absolutely is swamped by people."

"I can't pretend to get it," Gavin said while shaking his head. "I suppose he can at least say no all the time. How on earth has he managed to keep his relationship secret for so long?"

Nines smirked, "Connor is a smart man. He made Hank his personal guard. So, them being together all the time isn't out of the norm."

"Hah...yeah, that would do it." Gavin sighed deeply again. "Shame we can't do something similar. No-one would probably bat an eyelid if i went off the radar as your servant. Why the fuck do I have to belong to Elijah of all people...?

"If I've learned anything from my time alive, it's that fate is a cruel mistress," Nines mused sadly. "And anyway I wouldn't want you as my servant. I'd want you as my equal."

Gavin hummed wistfully. “If only there was some way that could happen. I guess we’re kind of lucky that we even got this, in the end. Just having this is so against the odds...”

"Yeah, we're breaking all the rules," Nines spun around and moved to be straddling Gavin, "but I'd break them all again to keep you by my side." He gave Gavin a kiss that bordered on desperate. "I've always been a rebel."

“I know you would, and I might just take you up on that before all of this is over,” Gavin gasped while kissing Nines hard. “Fuck, I love you, Ni...”

"I love you, too, Gavin." They kissed for a few more minutes, Nines running his hands all over Gavin's naked skin. "Gav, you wanna get cleaned up? Or?"

“Or...?” Gavin prompted with a small smile before moving to pepper Nines’ neck with kisses, to which the prince started laughing.

"Don't pawn all this decision making on me," he moaned playfully.

“I’m genuinely curious, babe. What’s your ‘or’?” Gavin wondered while kissing up Nines’ chin to move behind his ear.

"Uh...." Nines blushed in mild embarrassment. "I didn't actually have one. It was more of a question."

Gavin paused as he absorbed that statement. “Huh, really? And there I was thinking that you might be angling for something like this...” he purred before running one hand teasingly down the crack of Nines’ ass.

Nines let out a small squeak in reply. "I mean, that sounds like a good 'or' option to me," he breathed out as he let out a soft moan at Gavin's ministrations.

“Good,” Gavin smiled while pulling away to kiss Nines sensually, grinding his slowly hardening again dick against his prince. “Have you got anything here that we’re okay to use?”

"We're in a bathroom, Gavin." Nines deadpanned, trying to sound serious around his arousal. "Just look slightly to the left."

Gavin did and blushed. “To be fair, most of my blood is going to my dick right now. Thought processes really aren’t high on the things I’m capable of and focused on,” he said while reaching for the oil, slicking up a couple of fingers and teasing them around Nines’ hole.

"Fair," Nines choked out around a moan, "but as long as you can keep up what your doing, I don't mind," he rambled while burying his face into the crook of Gavin's neck. As spot which he realised was becoming his favourite place.

“I hope you’re enjoying this rather then just ‘not minding’,” Gavin chuckled while slipping one finger in. This wasn’t going to last long, he knew that. Both of them were exhausted from the day, emotionally and physically, but that wouldn’t stop them from getting in one last coupling.

Nines moaned at the wonderful feeling of Gavin slowly stretching him. He knew they were pushing it a little bit, but he couldn't bring himself to care. "You've got me. I love it, just like I love you," Nines whispered as he nibbled and sucked on Gavin's throat.

“I love you too, baby. And I don’t want you to ever forget this.” Gavin groaned at feeling Nines’ lips on his throat as he pushed in a second finger, curling them to try and find the right spot inside him.

"I don't think that's possible." Nines' whole body gave a jerk and his vision whited out on the edges as Gavin made contact. He looked at lover seriously. "Do that again."

“What? This?” Gavin asked all too innocently before curling his fingers over the same spot and watching as Nines yelped. “I think I might have hit the jackpot...”

"I-I'd say," Nines groaned out. "Oh, God. Please, make love to me already," he moaned, pushing back on Gavin's fingers. "I want you inside me."

Gavin groaned and pushed in a third finger, making sure Nines adequately stretched before even thinking about sticking his dick inside. “I won’t hurt you,” Gavin told him. “Just a little more.” Nines knew Gavin was right, but nonetheless he let out an impatient moan. He tangled his hands into his lover's messy hair and moved him a bit to give his mouth better access.

Agonising prep time later, Gavin finally decided that Nines was ready enough and took the oil to carefully (as he could considering they were in a full bath) slick himself up. When he was ready, Gavin slipped one arm around Nines’ waist with the other steadying his dick at his prince’s entrance. “Ready?” he asked in a whisper, kissing Nines tenderly.

"More than," Nines replied as he moved himself down onto Gavin's dick: taking a tiny bit of control in the situation and making sure to maintain contact the entire time. He let out a satisfied hiss when he was fully seated.

Gavin gasped as he felt Nines slide down his length and held his prince tightly, waiting for Nines to give him a sign that he was ready. When he felt Nines squirming and starting to move, Gavin sighed in bliss and looked at him with lust-blown eyes. “You look so gorgeous like this, baby,” he breathed hard. “Go on: I want to see you ride me.”

Nines bit his lip and nodded, his gaze falling to Gavin's chest. He braced his hands on his lover's shoulders, lifting himself up and lowering himself back down. He quickly set a desperate pace and he soon had his eyes screwed shut, his mouth hanging open.

“God you feel amazing,” Gavin praised, his hands resting on Nines’ hips as the other man bounced on his lap. “Ni, baby...” A whine caught in his throat as Nines started going faster, more frantic, and he just managed to change the angle: hoping to get Nines seeing just as many stars as he was. The mewl he got in reply was a perfect answer. “You look so beautiful, Ni, you have no idea how gorgeous you are...”

The praise ran right over Nines' skin and straight to his dick, causing it to twitch. He couldn't talk at that moment, he was too overwhelmed. Gavin was so good to him and they were so good for each other. All he could do was keep moving, trying to make this a special as he was feeling.

Gavin knew he wasn’t going to last much longer - neither of them were if the way Nines’ eyes were rolling was any indication. Desperate to feel Nines fall apart atop of him and watch, Gavin took his prince's cock in hand and started working it while latching on to Nines' neck again, pulling deeply at the skin beneath to make one last mark.

Nines moaned and his hips started to stutter. He moved his hands from Gavin's shoulders to the back of his head, tangling his fingers into his hair. It was only a few more moments before the tension in his stomach snapped and his was coming between them, letting out a series of soft keens.

His prince had to be the most stunning thing in the world, but this - watching Nines reach his climax and seeing the smile of pure bliss on his face - this was perfection. Gavin couldn’t handle staring at it for more than two seconds before he slammed up hard into Nines and lost it himself, hissing through his teeth as he rode out the aftershocks. His arms wrapped around Nines and brought the other man close as Gavin started placing gentle kisses along his shoulder and neck. Nines giggled a bit as he came down from his orgasm, returning the crushing hug and angling his neck to make room for more kisses.

"Thank you," Nines whispered, then after a moment he had to stifle a yawn.

“You’re very welcome,” Gavin hummed into Nines’ skin before failing to hide a yawn himself. “Hate to break it to you though, but I think I’m about to doze off here. Shall we head back to bed?”

"Yeah, that's sounds heavenly," Nines mused, "but let's actually get washed up first." He reached over to grabbed some soap and a hand towel to clean them up. After he was satisfied he scooped Gavin up in his arms and carried him out of the tub. "Do you think we should clean up your injuries? Or do you want to deal with that in the morning?"

Gavin sighed in irritation. “Let’s do it now, I don’t want to risk making a mess of your bedsheets. I couldn’t imagine you trying to come up with an explanation for that.” His cheeks then coloured a bit. “They might need doing again in the morning, and that means I get two chances for you to tend to them instead of one,” he smiled, hoping that Nines realised he enjoyed the prince’s attention.

"Of course," Nines smiled as he sat Gavin down and grabbed his first aid kit. "Yeah, I think Rose would have a heart attack if she saw that, but if worse comes to worse I can clean them myself. Ready?" Nines asked before he started his work.

“Yeah, I’m good, Ni,” Gavin said softly, enjoying watching Nines work. Even if the circumstances behind it were awful, he was enjoying having Nines tend to him so carefully.

"Okay," Nines replied as he lightly brushed his hand across Gavin's cheek. He quickly and efficiently started cleaning, then wrapping up the injuries. Starting with Gavin's arm he then went to the brand. Nines had a thought about telling Gavin to get a tattoo over the marred skin once it healed, but he wasn't sure of that would be the right thing to say, so he didn't.

Thankfully, the bruises on Gavin's chin and arm were fading at a good rate, so he didn't need to do any extra work there. "There we go," Nines declared with a smile as he put the last piece of tape on. "Now we can get some sleep."

“Mmhmmm...” Gavin hummed happily and shifted over, opening his arms for Nines. “Come here?”

Nines beamed and slid into Gavin's offered embrace. He really enjoyed being in Gavin's arms. "Love? You're really comfy and I don't think our bodies would like it too much if we fell asleep on the bathroom floor."

"I've fallen asleep in a lot worse places, I don't think mine would whinge that much since it's warm here. But yeah, let's go through before I shut down properly." The two of them walked back through to the bed and Gavin dramatically dropped down onto it, opening his arms once more with a gentle smile. "Sleep here?"

Nines let out a soft chuckle and then flopped onto the bed, rolling into Gavin's arms. "Yes, sleep here."

Gavin sighed dreamily and hugged Nines tightly, even as he was rapidly falling asleep. "I love you, Ni..."

The prince yawned as he snuggled in closer. "Love you too, Gavin." He intertwined his fingers with Gavin's before he closed his eyes and drifted off.


	13. Midnight Revelations

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> **Skye: Hey guys, we're back again! It's a shorted chapter this time I'm afraid but we're trying not to let these chapters get crazy in length, it just depends on where we find natural breaks. This one just so happened to be short but I promise the next one will be longer!**
> 
> **I hope you're all still enjoying this journey, but I'm going to remind you that this tale is meant to be dark. As much as our boys are having a sweet romance, there's a lot of darkness going on in the background.**
> 
> **Which is why I'm going to give you a heads up that there is a lot more sinister stuff coming in this fic. You'll see hints of it here but it's going to get a lot more graphic ahead. Be wary.**

At the far side of the castle, Elijah was carefully polishing and sharpening one of his knives when a soft tap came at the door. "Come," he beckoned, not shifting his focus as he heard Chloe approach. "Well?"

"Their connection is certainly strong, and Gavin is remaining with the Prince again tonight, at his request. I believe there is a fair chance that there is more than simple attraction there," she reported softly, guilt coiling in her gut for relaying what she'd seen. Witnessing such private moments between the pair was betrayal enough to Gavin, but sharing it with Elijah made her feel even worse.

Elijah turned to look at her in surprise. "Do you think there is genuine love between them?"

Chloe nodded solemnly. "Certainly on Gavin's side, yes. Prince Richard is harder to discern, but I believe it to be true with him as well. His actions with our decoy observer were quite telling - and I can confirm that he is military trained. Their meeting at the tavern in the city was clearly amongst ex-soldiers."

"So, Prince Richard really did vanish to join Connor's army under a new name...How intriguing. This does indeed make him the more dangerous out of the brothers. Time to step things up," Elijah declared happily.

He then stood and kissed Chloe softly. "Stay here for a while, and then head back to the Prince's room before sunrise. I want you to ensure that Gavin returns here so that I may pass on another message."

Chloe's stomach churned but she nodded. "Of course, Elijah. What should I tell Gavin?"

Elijah's smile grew cruel as he ran a gentle hand down Chloe's arm.

"Tell him that I wish to speak with him about his 'late-night activities'. I want him to remember just who he belongs to."

* * *

Images danced beneath Gavin's lids as he thrashed in his sleep. Knives, bottles, blunted maces. Anything and everything designed to inflict pain as he was strung up by his arms. Nobles laughing in the background as they took turns striking him, Elijah watching on with a smirk. His one condition? No killing - anything and everything else was fair game. He cried and shivered violently, unable to break out of the vicious memory.

Nines blinked awake as he heard a noise. He frowned as he sat up quickly, his heart in his throat as he reached out looking for a weapon of some sort ready for the fight that was inevitable. Only he grabbed at soft covers which caused him to blink in surprise. He wasn't in a tent, he was back at the castle. 

As he gulped down a few frantic breaths and shook away the images of the battlefields he soon realised that he was back in his room, but the noise that roused him didn't stop. Whining, and broken noises continued from nearby, to which Nines twigged it was coming from Gavin. He was having a nightmare. "Gavin?" Nines called out softly as he reached to give his love a small shake. "Gavin wake up. You're okay, it's just me, Ni. Gav?"

Laughter, chilling laughter echoed through Gavin as he remembered the burning pain in his stomach from being made a human piñata, curling in on himself to protect futilely against more blows that he was waiting for. "Please, no," he cried out in terror, still locked in sleep. "Fuck you're killing me! _ Stop!" _

Nines gasped, he knew what night terrors looked like and he was petrified to see Gavin having one. He reached out and pulled Gavin into his arms. One of his hands went to the back of his head and tucked him into his chest as the other started to rub soothing circles into his back. "Gavin? Babe? It's me, Nines. I promised I'd never hurt you. You're safe. Come on wake up."

The contact shocked Gavin and he snapped awake in fright, pushing away from Nines in terror. _"No!"_ It was only a few seconds later that his sense finally settled and Gavin realised where he was. He wasn't back in Elijah's castle being tortured under the illusion of entertainment.

He was with Nines, safe in the prince's chambers.

Tears poured down his cheeks as he shuddered violently on the spot, remembering the echoes of pain all too well. "Ni...?" Gavin sobbed. He so wanted to be held but he felt dirty, defiled - he didn't know how to ask.

"Hey, Gav," Nines said stupidly. "You're okay, I promise. You were having a nightmare; I didn't know how else to wake you. Do you need anything?"

More tears fell down Gavin's cheeks as his hands came to rest over the scars on his stomach. "I-It wasn't a nightmare, Ni, god I wish it was. I wish I didn't have to remember what's waiting for me when tonight ends." His wet eyes lifted to meet Nines'. "I don't want to lose you."

Nines rose briefly and looked at the scars on Gavin's stomach. "Hey, hey." He reached forward and wiped at the tears on Gavin's face, trying to console him. "I don't want to lose you either. God, I don't know what to do." He continued to caress Gavin's face as he tried to hold the both of them together. "Come here. Let me hold you."

Gavin crumbled and fell into Nines' arms, sobbing his heart out as he came to terms with the painful memories that had resurfaced. Why of all nights did it have to be tonight that they cropped back up? He hadn't had a night terror in a long time - just his worst fucking luck that it had to happen now. "I'm sorry," he cried. "I'm so-" The noise was choked off in a pained sob.

"Hey, hey. It's okay." Nines' hands went to Gavin's back and started running his hands in circles against him again.

The silence was too much and Gavin's racing mind broke a little more, needing to share one of the many secrets he was holding. "Ni, you need to know something. Something I should have said before," he muttered, the sentence racing out so fast that Gavin could barely control it.

"You can tell me anything, okay? I'm here for you," the prince assured him.

Swallowing hard, Gavin laid everything bare. "Elijah's never going to take a peace deal, Ni. He's here to try and find a weakness to exploit before using it against Connor. That bastard thrives off war and suffering, he won't give it up. He-" Another whine threatened to escape and Gavin swallowed it back. "That’s why he did this to me that first night. I'm refusing to be a part of it. I-I don't want to be a pawn in his chess game but I-" 

He then sat back and looked at Nines, dead serious. "Ni, I don't think I'm going to leave here alive unless I give him something. Why else would he have someone following me?"

Nines took his time, absorbing everything that Gavin had said. He decided to address each topic one at a time. "Oh, I know about King Elijah's plans. He's a weasel, I've known that since day one." He sighed in frustration. "Connor doesn't believe me, I've already tried talking to him about that." Nines paused and then decided he should express his concerns, feeling that there was nothing to lose. "I don't think he's going to kill you. If he wanted to do that, he would have done it already. He wants you alive for some reason or another, I just don't know what that is yet."

Gavin thought about that before shivering in remembrance. "You have no idea how often I've wished he would do it. Death couldn't be any worse than some of the shit he's put me through."

"Yeah, I could see why," Nines whispered but he wasn't going to comment on the morbidity. He knew that feeling all too well himself. "Hey, but right now, you're safe. I've got you."

Looking up at Nines, Gavin threw himself into a desperate kiss with the prince, craving the safety and comfort he offered. He straddled Nines' lap and wrapped his arms around Nines' neck before kissing him soundly, not willing or able to let him go any further. Nines let out a small grunt at the sudden contact, but he returned the kiss with vigour. He wrapped his arms tightly around his lover, wanting to make him feel safe.

Make Gavin feel loved.

Gavin pulled back, panting, and looked at Nines with wet eyes. "Help me forget, Ni. Just for a little while, just for tonight. I don't want to think about it while I'm here with you," he begged.

"Of course," Nines promised as he started placing soft kisses on Gavin's neck. "Anything for you."

* * *

Connor had grown a bit concerned with Nines' absence throughout the day. His brother had been getting better over the last few months about not disappearing for days at a time, but the suddenly empty chair in the meeting room today had earned a few raised eyebrows. Connor wasn't even sure how to address it either. Nines and he had already talked about the younger brother attending the peace talks religiously to prove he was a royal presence again. That lasted all of three days. He was also sure King Elijah was suspicious of the prince's disappearance but said nothing of it. 

The conclusion? Connor wasn't happy. Nines needed to take being a prince seriously again: he wasn't flaunting around the countryside being a toy soldier anymore. The wars were supposed to be ending and Nines was out gallivanting again. Connor decided to give Nines until dinner to return and when he didn't the king went to check on him. When the guard at the door gave him a quick statement about how Nines had requested to be alone today, Connor blatantly ignored the request and barged into the room.

Empty. The room was empty and it was clear that Rose hadn't been in to do the tiny bit of cleaning that Nines left for her. Connor let out a harsh sigh through his nose. He hoped that Nines was just spending the day painting in his study and made his way down the secret stairwell. Yet again Connor was greeted by nothing. Nines wasn't painting or reading or whatever he did in here. 

Connor didn't really have time for these games today. It was only when he was on his way out the door that a covered canvas caught his eye. The king couldn't resist the urge to peek - his brother rarely if ever showed off his art unless Connor had asked him for a piece for a noble or the like. Connor pulled the sheet up and gasped at the partially finished piece.

The painting was extremely modern in style but that isn't what caught the king's attention. It was the subject: _King Elijah's slave._

The piece was filled with emotion and it made Connor truly felt like it wasn't meant for his eyes. He dropped the sheet and took a step back, his heart racing a bit as he quickly made his way out of Nines' study, hoping his suspicions were not correct.

~

When several hours had passed and word had not travelled to Connor of Nines' return he made his way to his brother's quarters once again in trepidation.

Connor nodded to the guard at Nines' door and made a move to open it, but was stopped by an arm that was stuck out in front of the king. "I'm sorry, Your Majesty, Prince Nines has not lifted the bar to entry on his quarters yet."

Surprised, Connor's mouth fell open at the gesture and he glared at the guard. "Good thing, such rules do not apply to me, _the king._ Please, step aside."

The guard avoided eye contact and his face was coloured a soft pink. "I apologise Your Majesty, but I highly advise you against entry to Prince Nines' quarters at the moment." Connor baulked at the statement. He'd crossed his arms and opened his mouth to make a rebuttal when a soft noise escaped from within the room. Both of the men outside the door froze and the guard’s face turned even more red. "Prince Nines is not alone," he said quietly.

Connor's eyes widened and he stared at the door in astonishment. Nines was in his room with someone; and not only that, it was with someone in the most vulgar way. Connor turned to the guard with a carefully bland expression. "I see. Next time he comes out of his room, tell him to come to see me immediately."

The guard's eyes widened a bit but he nodded. "Of course, Your Majesty."

With that Connor turned around and marched away, his thoughts were running wild as he made his way back to his own quarters.

He couldn't get his mind around it and needed time to absorb the startling revelation - Nines was fucking the visiting king's slave, and with it, he was risking the entire peace deal.

When he next saw Nines, he needed a long talk with his younger brother.


	14. Moment of Inspiration

Panting after their soft lovemaking, Gavin reached for Nines next to him and curled in as best he could. “Ni?” he asked quietly.

"Yes, love?" Nines said as he placed a few more gentle kisses where he could reach.

“What do you think is going to happen now?” Gavin wondered, scared for the answer.

"I'm not into the idea of letting you go," Nines replied smoothly. "We'll take it one step at a time and see what happens. Or, you know, we can run away."

Fear coiled through Gavin's gut - for himself and for Nines. No, they couldn’t run away, not from Elijah. He’d always find them.  Swallowing, Gavin nuzzled into Nines’ chest and sighed. “We should probably worry about that tomorrow, huh?”

Nines' smile tightened a bit as he held Gavin tighter. "I'm pretty sure it's already tomorrow, love."

Gavin’s eyes shot to the window before turning back. “No sunrise yet - so it’s not tomorrow.” It was a stubborn answer but he refused to leave Nines’ arms until the night was done. And since it was still dark out, that meant he still had his one last night.

"Fair enough," Nines smiled while cuddling Gavin. "What would you like to do until then, my love?"

“Hold me? I just want your warmth,” he said softly while burrowing deeper into Nines’ arms.

Nines hummed as he gathered Gavin up and pulled him even closer. He would never get tired of the feel of Gavin's naked skin against his own. Only days in and it was already an addiction. "I love you so much."

“I love you too,” Gavin whispered back, running his hands reverently over the scars on Nines’ own body. As much as he hated that his prince bore them, it made him feel a lot less alone in carrying the physical and mental burden of his marks.

"I got that one from a gunshot on the Jericho borders," Nines started when Gavin traced a soft circle around the bullet scar under his left pectoral, "I was 21. Hurt like a bitch and it bled a lot, I nearly got sent home in a casket. Instead I got patched up and sent home on leave. Connor was pissed, it was the first time he'd seen me in the three years since I ran away to join the army. Not the best reunion."

“Shit,” Gavin whispered as he ran his fingers over the warped skin and leant down to kiss it. “Yeah, I could imagine him being pissed - and even more so when you left again,” he joked.

Nines preened at the soft kiss and laughed in remembrance. "Oh yeah, definitely. Did I mention I snuck off in the middle of the night again six months later?"

“You’d have thought that Connor would have realised that you might vanish again,” Gavin snickered lightly.

"Connor's always been a little too hopeful for his own good," Nines mused. "Plus, he often underestimates me. I only got two gunshot wounds after five or so years of fighting in the most violent and large scale conflict to date? I think I did pretty well."

“Yeah, you got out pretty lightly, all things considered. I’m just glad that we both lived this long and got to meet, all things considered,” he sighed, kissing the scars on Nines’ body.

Nines hummed at the affection as he moved his hand to run a gentle caress down the scar on Gavin's nose. "Me too. All the odds were really stacked against us, huh?"

“Yeah, no kidding.” Gavin’s hand drifted across the rest of Nines’ marks, coming to rest on the long jagged one which seemed similar to his own. “A knife?” he wondered.

"Yeah," Nines swallowed, "A failed assassination attempt from when I was 17. A person who I once called a friend did it." He ground his teeth against the horrible memory.  "He stabbed me under the guise of a hug." One of his hands clenched into a fist and the other gently went to where Gavin was touching the scar. "I... I still remember blacking out to the sound of his laughter."

“Damn, looks like you and I have matching ones after all then,” he sighed, running a hand over the stitches in his chest.  “Some assassin mistook me for Elijah in the shitty light of the castle. Stabbed me and ran. If Chris and Tina hadn’t found me... I was paralysed by fear and pain, I couldn’t move. Another ten minutes or so and I’d have bled out, probably.”

"Fuck, I'm glad they found you. Send them my thanks," Nines replied with a small smile. He reached out and touched the scar on Gavin's chest. They really were a lucky pair, if you call surviving death over and over again luck.  "I didn't wake up in time either...Rose was the one who found me."

“Guess us meeting was even more incredible than I thought,” he chuckled morbidly. “I’m sending out a silent thank you to her, wherever she is. It’s funny how much of a story you can tell just from someone’s scars.”

"I hope you get the chance to meet Rose, she's lovely," Nines mused, knowing Gavin wouldn't understand the significance of that statement.  "Scars are fascinating things," he said while tracing the scar on Gavin's nose, "where did you get this one?"

Gavin let out a laugh. “This one was plain stupid, and entirely Tina’s fault. We were messing around in the armoury and she knocked over some swords. When she went to pick them up she tripped over the edge of the table, went into me, and I fell right into a shelf. Hurt. Like. A. Bitch,” he snickered.  “What was not fun was having to clean up the stream of blood afterwards off all of the swords. Didn’t need to explain it though, my nose was well busted so it was clear to see where it came from.”

Nines let out a chuckle. "Oh, man, that sounds like it was a mess. I'm glad at least that scar has a mostly good story around it, I actually really like how it looks, adds to your charm. This Tina sounds like she's a riot to be around, I need to meet her one day,” he said without much thought. 

Gavin flinched a little knowing that wouldn’t happen - and it hurt. He knew Tina and Nines would get on so well, she and the prince would click just like he did with his soldier companions.  “Well, at least one of these bastard things has appeal,” he smiled cynically. “And not all of them are through Elijah. That’s something.”

"Well, that is something. But if you ask me, all of them have some sort of appeal because they are a part of you." Nines leaned in and gave Gavin a soft kiss. "Would you like to talk about something a bit more upbeat now?"

He gave Nines a small smile. “Sure, that sounds nice. Any ideas?” Because he sure as hell didn’t have any at that moment.

"As a matter of fact, I do." Nines gave Gavin a bright smile while offering a hand. "Let's get dressed and head down to the study and I'll show you."  Nines pulled them out of the bed and towards his closet. "Pick what you like out of that area. There should be something there that's not too flashy."

Eyeing Nines suspiciously, Gavin picked out a black shirt and some wine red pants to go with it, grabbing a belt to tie the shirt in a little and spun back towards his prince.  “What are you scheming?” he asked with a tentative smile.

"Scheming? I'm not scheming," Nines chuckled. He picked out a dark purple turtleneck and a pair of deep grey pants. "I just have a fun idea and I think you'd like it."  Nines then looked at his small collection of royal jewellery. "Crown or no crown?" He'd actually only worn one around Gavin the very first time they met at the painting.

Gavin smiled softly. “Depends on how regal you want to look. I don’t know what you’ve got planned. Are they even comfy?” he wondered.

"That depends," Nines beamed as he grabbed one that he thought would go with Gavin's outfit and put in on his lover's head. He fiddled with it until it was set properly and then pulled back with a grin. "What do you think? Comfy?"

The slave spun to take a look at the mirror and laughed. “It is, actually. I kinda like it. Funny...I always wondered about how I might look in one of these, in another life.  Probably quite narcissistic that I think I sort of suit it, huh?” he joked with a smile before turning back to the reflection.

"Not narcissistic at all, I think you look amazing. It really does suit you." Nines softened at the small smile gracing Gavin's face. He looked like a prince. No, like a king. 

A sense of Déjà vu slammed into Nines. He really looked familiar dressed like this, but he couldn't place exactly why.

Nines shook his head of wishful thinking. This is how Gavin would look if everything between them worked out perfectly. He had to swallow down an onslaught of emotions as grabbed his favourite crown and put it on his own head. "There, now me match."

Gavin laughed and pulled Nines so that they were standing side-by-side, admiring how they looked together. “It’s funny...despite you being a prince and me being a slave, when you see us like this - we fit. I don’t really know how, but we do.”  He leant into Nines’ side and sighed. “I could get used to it all too easy.”

"We do fit. Like this or as just Niles and Gavin." Nines turned Gavin and gave him a soft kiss, "We're meant to be together... I could get used to you like this too."

The smaller man sighed and pressed his forehead into Nines’ chest. “If only, huh? Once the sun comes up...it’s back to reality. Back to you being the Prince and me being no-one.”

"I hope the sun never rises," Nines expressed as he tangled his hands into Gavin's hair, being sure not to move the crown.

“Heh, if you had that power, I’d ask you to change things so that I could be your servant instead. Then I wouldn’t have to fear something like the sunrise, or what lies beyond it. I could stay with you forever.”

Nines blinked as an insane thought took hold. "I'm a prince." He moved Gavin's face to make sure he could look into his lover's eyes, so that Gavin could see he was being serious.  _ "I'm a prince," _ he repeated, his voice gaining a slight edge.

Gavin blinked at him in confusion. “Yeah, you’re a prince...” he repeated slowly. “I know we spent the whole day pretending you’re not, but I’m not sure what you’re getting at here, Ni.”

"Gavin. I  _ do _ have that power," Nines shook his head, scarcely able to believe that he was about to air this thought. "I could change your lot in life. It's crazy but it would work."

That earned a raised eyebrow and a mild scowl from Gavin. “Ni, what do you mean? How?”

Nines swallowed and looked away, suddenly shy. "You'd have to marry me," he whispered, barely above a breath.

It was true. If Gavin married him, he'd become a prince or another form of nobility, he'd be removed from his old life and welcomed into a new life here. There were a few roadblocks, of course, but those were small ones. Right now all that mattered was how Gavin would react.

Gavin stared at Nines in shock - that was so far from what he'd expected. “Wh-What? Ni, why- why would you want to marry me? I’m nobody!”  He was trying to stop his racing heart, because he wanted that. He wanted it so badly that it shocked him with the force. As much as he wanted to say ‘yes’ though, it was dangerous. Too dangerous.

That didn't stop the hope from shining in his eyes.

"Because I love you," Nines said honestly, "and you said it yourself, love in a life like mine is rare. I want to hold on to you forever. Damn the sunrise, damn everything else. I'd marry you because you're someone to **me**."

Tears fell down Gavin’s cheeks and he took a deep breath, looking Nines dead in the eye. “Ni...I love you, more than I thought possible to love anyone. I could wish for nothing more than to marry you.”

The smile that overtook Nines' face was blinding. He pulled Gavin into a crushing kiss and a few of his own tears fell down his own face.  When the kiss broke, they were both panting. Nines let out a soft and delirious laugh. "Oh, god. I can't even express how happy I am right now. How did I get so lucky?"

Gavin laughed brightly in response. “You think you’re the lucky one? I’m the one who’s about to marry a prince who could have anyone he wanted - and somehow ended up choosing me! If that’s not the basis of a crazy story, I don’t know what is!”

"We're both lucky." Nines picked Gavin up and spun him around, both of them laughing.  Once Gavin was back on the ground Nines beamed at him. "Why would I have anyone when I could have you? This is like a fairy tale, I've found my Prince Charming."

Smiling broadly, there was something that occurred to Gavin and he ran his hands up the length of Nines’ chest. “Ni, how would we do this? The potential fallout from it - it could be catastrophic.”

Nines sighed and pressed his forehead to Gavin's. "We would have to get Connor's blessing, which I don't see being a problem. As for King Elijah, do you really think he'd be that put out if you stayed here?"

Gavin hesitated. “Elijah is looking for any excuse to kickstart the war again. With that in mind...maybe we should wait towards the end of the talks? If we do it at a point where everything is settled and Elijah can’t go back on whatever they’ve agreed...”

"That seems like a good idea. Our secret until then." Nines nodded before stealing a kiss. "Wouldn't that be a way to end the war? Not to mention that would be my first public appearance in, uh, six years?" 

The slave snickered at the thought . “I hope you realise that’s the sort of dramatics that would never be forgotten."

"Me? Dramatic? _Never,"_ Nines joked.

"Would-Would your people be okay with you marrying someone from Elijah’s kingdom though?” Gavin wondered quietly.

Nines quickly sobered up. "I don't think the people get  _ that  _ much say in my personal life. This is a diverse country, there are worse people I could marry."

Gavin’s smile grew watery. “You’re really set on this, aren’t you? Fucking hell, Ni,” he laughed. His smile fell as he thought about something. “Won’t Connor wonder if I’ve seduced you or something? It is a little...out of the blue.”

"I'll deal with Connor. He's my brother, he knows I'm not stupid." Nines shrugged, "and time is irrelevant in a royal marriage. Most of them are betrothals anyway. We'll be fine." 

Nines kissed Gavin again, "Let's head down to the study. I still have something I'd like to show you down there. We can worry about this more after sunrise."

Nodding, Gavin allowed Nines to lead him down the secret staircase back to the study. His smile grew for a minute as he saw the painting again, but his attention was drawn to Nines in the opposite corner of the study. "Ni? What are you doing?" he asked softly.

"You'll see," Nines called out as he gave a quick scan of his music collection. He made a triumphant noise as he pulled a record out and placed it on the phonograph. He then put down the needle and the soft cords of his favourite ballet played out.

Nines straightened up and walked over to Gavin, giving a full bow while offering his hand. "May I have this dance?"

Laughing lightly, Gavin took Nines' hand with a smile. "I believe you may," he replied lovingly, enjoying as Nines brought him into the circle of his arms. As they began to sway softly together, Gavin sighed and buried his head into the prince's neck. "I love you, Ni."

Nines' heart swelled in his chest. "I love you too, Gavin, so very much." 

They were an interesting pair of dancers. You could tell that Nines was practiced and trained while Gavin moved like someone who'd never danced before; but Nines knew they looked wonderful together. He smiled the whole time he had Gavin wrapped in his arms and led him around the study in sweet spirals.  The cords of the music were pleasant and Nines hummed a few notes along with the song. Gavin just smiled like the whole world was perfect and for that time it really was.

Then the sunrise broke over the horizon and slowly bathed the room in the warm glow of dawn as the record crackled, signalling its end. The two were trapped in the beginning and the end all at once, wrapped in each other's arms in the quiet of a beautiful morning.  As the music finally died away, Gavin's posture slumped slightly and he looked up at Nines, infinitely sad. "Ni, I have to go," he whispered solemnly.

"I know," Nines whispered, "I know." He leaned down and placed a soft kiss on Gavin's lips. W hen he pulled back, he took a step back, trying to make the process as easy as possible for both of them. "If you need anything you let me or my staff know, okay?"

"I will," Gavin whispered before vanishing back upstairs to change back into his own clothes. When he came back down, he was in his usual attire and the crown was held in his hands delicately. 

He stepped up to Nines and handed it back.  "I hope you know that I fully intend on reclaiming this," Gavin smiled while stepping back to fidget with the leather pendant he was still wearing. At least he was able to take something physical of Nines with him, even if he had a lifetime's worth of love and intimacy all over his skin. This was something much more tactile.

"It is now forever yours," Nines proclaimed as he took the crown. He smiled as he gave a small bow, offering Gavin a tender smile. "One more kiss for the road?" he asked, looking up through his eyelashes longingly.

Gavin quickly closed the space between them and kissed Nines desperately, throwing himself into that last affectionate touch between them before they parted. "Anything for my future husband," he breathed hard, wrapping himself around Nines for a long hug.

Nines had to blink back tears at the declaration. "Just please, please make it back to me," he whispered as he returned the crushing hug. He was terrified, regardless of all the promises, that Gavin wouldn't make it back. He was almost certain King Elijah wouldn't kill him, but other things could just as effectively keep them apart.

“You know I won’t leave you willingly,” Gavin promised while stepping back, his own eyes damp. He wasn’t convinced that he would see tomorrow’s sunrise, Elijah may have just had enough of him after this spell of disobedience, b ut he’d be damned if he didn’t try his hardest to make it back to Nines now - not when he had the promise of a future and love for the first time.

Stepping towards the hatch under the window, Gavin opened it and gave Nines a teary smile. “I love you, Ni,” he said with all his heart before diving out the escape, knowing that his courage was about to fail.  He spun back and blew a kiss to Nines just before Gavin shut it behind him, ready to face whatever lay ahead.

"I love you too," Nines whispered to the now closed door.

The prince wrapped his arms around himself and looked at the crown in his hands, the crown that was now Gavin's and sighed. He had royal duties to attend to whether he liked it or not. Nines straightened up his own crown and resolutely headed up the stairs to his quarters. 

He closed the bookshelf and surveyed his room. There were tiny reminders of their time together scattered around: the small oil bottle, the rumbled sheets, and the extra discarded clothes. Nines took a deep breath as he quickly cleaned up, trying his best to cover up his relationship. Not because he wanted to, but because he had to.

Then and only then did he walk out into the hallway to deal with being a prince, but he wasn't expecting the first thing to meet him. 

"Ah, good morning Prince Nines," the guard by his door greeted, "King Connor wishes to see as soon as possible."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> **Skye**: You guys might have picked up on it...but things are about to ramp up big style. I'd bear in mind those more vicious tags for the chapters ahead, it's about to get rough.


	15. The Game, Is On

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> **Trigger Warning:** Here we go people those, torture tags are starting to come into play in graphic detail. Elijah is an absolute **bastard** and you're probably going to all hate him very shortly. Gavin's scene is a tough read, so please bear that in mind going ahead. 
> 
> If you don't feel up to reading it, skip ahead to the segment break.

Gavin had barely made it to the first corridor when he heard a soft calling of his name, and his stomach dropped. A quick glance confirmed to him that it was Chloe, and she passed on the news that Elijah wanted to see him. He tried to brace himself for what was likely coming.

Re-entering his King’s chambers, Gavin heard his name be called from the nearby study and tried not to swallow too hard when he came face-to-face with Elijah. His escape route was quickly blocked when Chloe shut the door behind them and she came to stand behind Elijah. Her being so worried told Gavin that he was probably in a lot of trouble.

“So, Gavin...” Elijah began conversationally. "Would you care to explain where you’ve been for the past all-but-two days?”

“You asked me to look for vulnerabilities of King Connor to exploit,” he started, relieved at how his voice wasn’t shaking. “If I’m just doing that through the day, I wouldn’t be effective, would I?”

“Mhmmm. And your absence yesterday and last night as well?” Elijah went on, his eyes steely.

Gavin tried to think on his feet. “I was with someone from the castle and only just left their company.” It wasn’t a lie, that would be something Elijah could tell instantly. This was at least halfway believable.

Elijah scrutinised Gavin for several agonising seconds before sighing and waving dismissively. “I don’t have time for this today. I’m about to have another meeting with Connor and you will not be there.” That...Gavin didn’t expect. Elijah was just letting him go? Not to look a gift horse in the mouth, he bowed and turned to leave.

He’d barely got reached for the door handle when Gavin felt a knife sail past him and embed itself in the wood. Only after a few. seconds of shock did he feel the trickle running down the side of his neck and he brought a hand up to catch the stream.

Blood. Elijah’s knife had nicked the side of his neck. 

A pointed cough from behind had Gavin spinning in terror and his eyes locked to the other knife Elijah was spinning in his hand with a casual smirk. Behind him, Chloe looked just as terrified as Gavin felt. 

“Don’t. Move,” Elijah singsonged before flinging the other knife. 

Gavin snapped his eyes shut as he saw it fly right toward him and he spluttered in gasping breaths when he felt a matching slice appear on the other side of his neck. He reached up and clutched both weeping cuts as he fell to his knees, the fear draining his strength.

Elijah sauntered over and pulled the two daggers out of the door before crouching in front of Gavin and snapping his head up. As Gavin stared at him, shaking all over, Elijah spied the leather pendant around his neck and lifted it free from Gavin’s bloodied shirt. “You might whore yourself out to your prince, but nothing will change the fact that **I. Own. You**,” Elijah whispered to him. “Play fantasy all you like, but you still belong to me.” He then stood and looked back at Chloe. “Come, Chloe. We have a meeting to attend.” 

Chloe shot Gavin a horrified and apologetic look, while mouthing that she would send help, before following Elijah out the door.

The two of them left, shutting the door behind them and leaving the shell shocked Gavin on the floor.

Gavin had no idea how long had passed by the time he shifted from where he was on the floor, but his legs were still shaking as he stood and scrambled through to the bathroom. The reflection was horrifying. A slit was visible on each side of his neck and must have been a good couple of centimetres deep. Only Elijah's assassin training would have stopped each throw from being fatal.

That chilled Gavin even more as he washed away the blood with trembling hands. How the fuck was he meant to hide this? He couldn't stitch wounds like this on his own, not in such a sensitive location. 

Swallowing back on bile - because being sick was just going to cause the gouges to become so much worse - he realised that he would have to seek out help or try and bandage it up in a vain attempt to hide it. Not that any of Elijah's servants would dare get in the middle of this dispute. This was a statement...and Gavin knew this was probably just the start of it.

Elijah was seriously pissed and Gavin didn't know how he could give the king anything anything without betraying Nines. That was something he wouldn't do: Nines was his hope of a life beyond this, all that he was living for. 

Gavin left to try and find anything to stem the bleeding, swallowing back his tears. He dreaded what Elijah would do next.

* * *

Nines briskly made his way to the meeting room where he knew Connor would be, hoping he'd beat Elijah there. He opened the door and was greeted by Connor and Hank chatting, to which they both turned to look at him.

"Can you excuse us, Hank?" Connor said as he stood up.

"Of course, Connor," Hank said as he tossed Nines a sideways glance as he headed out the door. "Nines," he said briefly, and then he was gone.

Nines opened his mouth to say something but was silenced by a swiftly raised hand. "Where were you yesterday?" Connor asked without much preamble.

"In the city," Nines replied coolly with narrowed eyes.

"During the peace talks?"

"At least I'm not wasting my breath like you," Nines sneered. "This is pointless, Connor. King Elijah is not going to agree to any of the terms you find agreeable."

"Oh, enough," Connor's hand went to his temple in annoyance. "At least I'm trying instead of gallivanting out on the country sleeping with anyone who tickles my fancy."

Nines blinked and let out a soft gasp, stunned at his brother's words._"What?" _

"I know what you've been up to," Connor sighed. "Fucking a slave? Really, Richard?"

The prince felt a flash of anger and nervousness. How did Connor know? "Excuse me? I do believe I can do what I please with my time," he huffed angrily.

Connor crossed his arms, a stony look on his face. "Unless I forbid it."

Nines' eyes widened at the threat. "You wouldn't dare,” he whispered.

"If it makes you a better prince then I will," the king declared, at which Nines felt his temper crest and his blood boil.

"Say it. Give me an excuse to leave. You know how much I hate it here," the prince spat as his hands clenched into fists. "I have finally found something good in these fucking walls and you want to take it away from me?"

"Something _good?"_ Connor blinked, bemused. "You've got to be kidding me. A slave who probably cares nothing for you? You're being a _ fool." _

Nines ground his teeth, preparing to lay everything bare. "Connor, I lo-..." 

The door opened, with King Elijah and his consort Chloe walked into the room. The conversation between Connor and he abruptly ended, to which Nines stared in fear when no-one else accompanied them.

He was terrified at the lack of Gavin. What could have happened to his beloved?

Nines didn't participate much in the talks. The anger and worry roiled in his stomach as he thought about what could have transpired. The conversation looped around and around: Connor and Elijah wanted very different things and as Nines knew now for sure, they sure didn't agree on peace. 

After a few hours they finally decided to disband for lunch. Nines stayed in his seat as he waited for Connor to get the hint and leave before him, which he did. Nines then stood up and realised too late he was alone with King Elijah.

Before Nines could manage to depart, Elijah approached and offered a hand. "If you don't mind, Prince Nines, I would quite like to get to know the fabled Prince of Connor's realm a little better," the king began charmingly.

Nines swallowed around a surge of anger. He turned on his princely face pretty easily as he took the offered hand. "The first thing to know about me is that only my family, staff, and friends call me Nines and as far as I'm concerned you are none of those. So, it is Prince Richard to you," he replied coldly.

Smooth as ever, Elijah simply inclined his head. "Forgive the transgression, Prince Richard, I meant no offence. I simply thought it was about time that I had a discussion with you, given your role in these talks." There was an unmistakably sharp glint In Elijah's eye.

"Of course, no offense was taken." Nines dropped the other man's hand. "A discussion sounds pleasant. What are you hoping to chat about with me, Your Majesty?"

"I was just hoping to learn about your opinions on these talks. Your brother is very determined and strong willed, but is somewhat unwilling to compromise. It makes me wonder whether that is just him, or it is the opinion shared by your entire kingdom?" Elijah wondered.

Nines stiffened. He knew this was a trap. "We just want this war to end, King Elijah. It has taken far too much from my people already." He gave a other man a blank smile. "I hope that is an opinion we both share."

"War is a cruel mistress indeed. It causes much strife, pain and death. Bringing it to an end is something in everyone's interest," Elijah smiled back. "I had wondered from your absence as to whether you shared your brother's opinion or not, but I see now - that is not the case," he replied knowingly.

"I'm not much for talking," Nines let out an easy laugh. "Oh, believe me when I say I've done more than my fair share of work to bring this war to an end."

"I have no doubts about that," Elijah smirked. "I would say the same for every man who has fought on the front lines."

Nines froze and his world tilted a little bit to the left. How the fuck did Elijah know about him being a soldier? 

He tried his best to play it off as nonchalantly as possible. "Yes, soldiers are a brave bunch. We wouldn't have a war without them, now would we?" His voice took on a bit of a squeaky edge, as his nerves leaked through: he was never good in situations like these.

"Kings are the ones who make war, the pawns are the ones who fight it out on the battlefields," Elijah taunted him. "The ones you need to watch, are the ones at the King's side. In any chess game, a King's most prized piece is the Queen. Stealthy, flexible, free-moving...The most unrestrained of any piece."

Turning with a cruel smile, Elijah left him with a few parting words. "You may be Connor's Queen in this game, Prince Richard, but you won't outdo mine. Even with your own four walls, they always have ears - and you can never be sure of someone's true loyalties." He inclined his head to Nines. "Until the afternoon session, Your Highness."

With that, Elijah took his leave.

Nines stood stock still and stared at the closed door for several minutes, finally coughing as he broke the trance. He needed to go to the lunch room but the words that Elijah said rattled around in his head. He knew the man was terrible and that he was full of lies, except...How did he know those things? Who were his eyes? 

The prince's heart stopped as a thought slammed into him. It couldn't be Gavin, could it? He swallowed harshly as he forced his head up high and went to the dining quarters, determined not to fall into Elijah's mind games.

Gavin wouldn't lie to him about being in love with him. What they had was real, abusive and manipulative king be damned.


	16. Test Our Bonds

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> **Trigger warning**: More abuse/torture here. It's worse than last time and pretty graphic, so I hope you've all got a strong stomach!
> 
> There's also some talk about prior trauma and reference to a deceased character, so be wary! You're all finally getting to see some of the tragic backstory that Stu has conceived for the Arkait family.

In a moment of madness and craving comfort, Gavin hastily wrapped some bandages around his neck and crept out of Elijah's wing. The man's future actions be damned, Gavin needed to feel the comforts of Nines' presence around him, even if he couldn't actually see the man at that moment.  Gavin crept to the secret door in Nines' study and opened it, slipping inside and then headed up the stairs to Nines' quarters. He really hoped that they were still empty.

Luck really wasn't on his side today because someone was there, and Gavin froze.

Rose was humming as she was cleaning Nines room after he had lifted the bar on entry. The room was mostly clean except for an alarming and odd drop of blood. She was almost certain at this point that Nines had a lover and she made a note to have a conversation with him about being gentle.

She jumped as she heard the staircase door opens and she turned to see a bloodied and very distressed man. Swallowing nervously, she called out to him. "Who are you and how do you know about the staircase?"

"I'm sorry!" Gavin croaked, turning to run. "I'm sorry, I was looking for something here, but I shouldn't have come. I'm leaving." He turned to flee back down the stairs, but gasped as the sudden motion agitated his neck and he collapsed to his knees, wheezing.

Rose gasped and she ran up Gavin, realising that he was no threat. "It's okay. I won't hurt you or ask questions, I figure that if you know how to get here that Prince Nines is the one who showed you." She crouched down and offered a hand to the injured man. "Let's get you cleaned up, okay?"

Gavin regarded the offering warily before he took it, staring at Rose curiously. "Are you Rose?" he whispered unsteadily, still shaken.

"I am," she replied as she helped him to his feet and started them on the path to the bathroom. "May I ask who you are, young man?"

"My name is Gavin," he replied sullenly. "I'm-" He couldn't say the full truth, so he went with a half one. "Prince Nines has helped me before, so I was hoping I could find something here to help again."

"Nice to meet you, Gavin," Rose smiled sweetly. "I'll take care of you this time okay?" 

They finished the short trek to the bathroom and Rose fished out the first aid kit, which she noted had been recently used, matching up with the young man's story. She looked at his neck and had many questions about that, but another more pressing one she wanted to ask right off the bat. "You're the young man that Nines is smitten with, correct?"

Gavin blushed to the tips of his ears and avoided her eyes. “I...might be,” he answered reluctantly. “Sorry, probably not what you were hoping for him, huh?”

Rose smiled softly as she lightly touched the cuts on his neck, evaluating them and bracing herself for the work. "Honestly? I thought Nines would never settle down or even flirt with the idea of being with someone. He's very shy."

A small smile came to Gavin’s face at her summary. “He said that, but I don’t think I’ll ever believe it fully since Nines is the one who first chased after me,” he admitted shyly. “I don’t think I’ll ever figure out how I piqued his interest but I’m so thankful I did.  He’s...he’s so special, and he doesn’t even know it.”

"I almost don't believe you," Rose blinked with a tiny laugh, knowing Nines very well, "but you must be someone very special too, then." 

Gavin didn’t respond to Rose’s words, merely nodded while staring off into the distance. He knew he was a state and it was somewhat of a miracle that no-one had stopped him to ask who he’d attacked to be left like this. She looked at the wounds on the neck a bit more closely to evaluate them. "I don't think I can stitch these with my hands. I'll glue and tape it before giving a loose wrap. You'll need a shirt to hide it, won't you?"

When she came back, Gavin’s attention focused back on her. “Why are you helping me...?” It was spoken shyly and unsure.

Rose paused for a second before she resumed her work. "Why not? You think I'm going to let a young man bleed out in my castle? Nope - and you don't look like a danger," she said softly, "Plus, I don't think Nines would be very happy if you weren't taken care of."

“Shit, Ni... Rose, please, you can’t tell him that you found me like this!” he begged. “He’s already worried about me and if he found out about this...I’m scared that he’d do something stupid.”

"Gavin, honey, I don't think you can hide this from him for long. This is going to heal pretty slowly," Rose informed softly as she put a bit of gauze in place as she mulled it over. "Nines is a reasonable man, but I understand your worry."

“So will you keep it a secret? Please, Rose. I don’t-“ Tears sprang to Gavin’s eyes again and despite his efforts to hold them back, one traitorously escaped. “He’s already scared, I don’t want to make it worse for him...”

Rose sighed in defeat eventually. "Yes, I won't say anything, but you probably should." She pointed at a slightly visible love bite with a slightly teasing smile. "Because if these are telling me anything, it's that he's going to see your neck in the near future."

Another blush’s sprang to Gavin’s face before something occurred to him. Elijah knew about them - he knew that Gavin and Nines had been sleeping together; and Elijah wasn’t a fool. Whoever had been spying on them must have seen enough to work out that there was more than just that between them.  “Oh fuck...” He went pale. “Shit, he knows- No, Ni can’t see me! I can’t risk it!”

He couldn’t risk them being alone if someone was watching them - Gavin dared not think what could happen.

Rose jumped a tiny bit at the outburst and she tried to offer a calming touch to the distressed man. "I am inclined to ask you if you're in danger, but I think I already have my answer." She took a deep breath before going on. "Gavin, do you need some help? Who's hurting you and how can we help? And please stop jumping, you're going to tear open the cuts again."

Taking her words seriously, Gavin forced himself to stay still and clenched his fists tightly to make sure he didn’t move again. “You can’t help me, Rose...I’ve just got to last a little longer, that’s all...A few more days and this nightmare will be over,” he whispered almost to him, but Rose could hear it clearly.

She tried not to let her horror show. Here she was, patching up a very banged up young man who was very clearly in love with her Nines, and he was talking about the fact that he's afraid he's going to die in a few days time. 

"You've got a lady worried with talk like that. Gavin, I hope you know that Nines is like a son to me. If you're important to him then you're important to me. Please, if you need help all you have to do is say the word." She looked away for a moment and then added to it quietly. "Nines is a strong man, but I don't think he could handle losing another person close to him."

Gavin was touched by her concern and placed a hand on her shoulder. “I wish anyone could help...I really do. But if I tell you, this will all get worse - for everyone. I just have to endure it for now,” he sighed sadly.

"Okay," Rose replied softly. She didn't believe him, but didn't see much point to pushing anymore. She knew for a fact that Nines could take care of Gavin.  "Let's just focus on getting you patched up. We can worry about the rest later, all right?" Then she really focused on her patient, doing her very best to patch up the slits.

When she was done, Gavin reached a hand up to touch the wounds lightly. “Can you think of any way to hide these without just a load of bandages...?” he asked her shyly.

Rose gave a small playful smile. "Nines has a preference for turtlenecks, if you wish to borrow one."

"I doubt that he has any that would be believable for a slave to be wearing..." he murmured in disgust.

Rose didn't comment, but the statement put a few of the missing pieces together. _Oh, Nines._ What has he gotten himself into? This confession gave Rose a worse feeling than she already had.  "Nines has a collection of less than royal clothes. I'm sure we could find something." She offered Gavin a hand up to guide him back through. "Come on."

Gavin took the offered hand and followed Rose through to the bedroom, where he was the collection of crowns on the way. He smiled slightly and ran a finger over the one that was 'his' but turned away when he saw Rose offer a turtleneck out to him.  "Thanks," he told her gratefully while stripping off his own shirt and quickly redressing, only then realising that she would have seen all of his scars. Oh well, she'd already helped him, it wasn't going to do any more harm for her to know the rest.

Rose closed the gap between then and put a gentle hand on his shoulder. "I'm happy you've met Nines, you seem to need a soft hand in your life." She hoped her smile and words were warm: she liked Gavin from the little time that she's spent with him and prayed things turned out for the best.

He gave her a soft smile in return. "Thank you...you have no idea how much I owe him. And now you." He spied the time nearby and winced. "I should go, before I trigger something worse. Thank you for everything, Rose. I hope I'll see you again."

With a small sigh Gavin left through the hidden staircase to get back to Elijah's wing before the king returned.

Gavin managed to sneak back without any hassle, but he was spotted by some of Elijah's servants as he set about his 'official' duty of cleaning up behind him. Usually Chloe did this and Gavin was the one who was at Elijah's beck and call, but it was the reverse today. In all honesty, it gave him the chance to come to terms with what had happened that morning.

His change of attire had caught a few stares from the rest of Elijah's entourage, they knew Gavin didn't have anything like that, but the only one brave enough to ask was Rupert. Gavin showed him the remains of the knives and the other man paled when he saw the damage. 

All Gavin said about the help he'd been shown was that it was someone from Connor's kingdom that had shown him kindness, and Rupert accepted it with the promise to make sure everyone kept an eye out. When things got particularly bad the servants often rallied around Gavin to help him recover. All of them despised how Elijah treated him, but could do nothing. As a slave, there was nothing that anyone could do to help Gavin.

Chloe reappeared in the evening and gave Gavin a look in warning before rushing over to whisper to him. "Gavin, whatever Prince Richard had told you that might stop this, please tell Elijah. He's not messing around anymore - this is just going to get worse and worse."

That was not what Gavin had been hoping to hear.

It took another hour and a half for Elijah to return to his chambers, by which point Gavin had been a bit of a nervous wreck. Chloe warning him was an unusual step and it had Gavin seriously worried. 

He knew it would only be so long before Elijah snapped if Gavin didn't give him what he wanted - there was no reason for Elijah to now believe that he knew nothing since the king knew he'd been with Nines. Elijah had Gavin all but backed into a corner. There wasn't anything that Gavin would tell him though.

All he had to do was endure. When the peace talks began to wind up, Nines would take care of everything. He believed that with all his heart.

That didn't stop the stab of ice which settled in his gut when Elijah appeared back through the door and gave Gavin a chilling smile. "Ah, good, you are here," he smirked. "That makes this much easier."

Gavin swallowed as Elijah locked the door with a key behind him and pocketed it, keeping Gavin trapped in the room. He kind of wished Chloe was still there - Elijah was never usually as vicious with her around, he didn't like to show that side of himself around her. Her absence just solidified the ice in Gavin's stomach.

"So, shall we try again with our conversation from this morning?" Elijah began experimentally. "I'm sure that being a warm hole for Prince Richard has given you plenty of opportunity to do some snooping around." 

Gavin's anger flared at Elijah talking about his relationship with Nines so crudely, but he knew it was better Elijah assumed that was the nature of them. The other way would be a lot more dangerous for both of them.

"I don't know anything that can help you, Elijah," Gavin insisted. "He doesn't talk about that sort of thing."

"Really?" Elijah smirked. "Not even his complete disgust for politics? You know by now that the Prince is an ex-soldier." Gavin gut clenched, that meant they had been watched at the tavern then. Shit. "That puts him at direct odds with Connor. The two of them in conflict… that would be dangerous for the future of their kingdom."

Elijah stepped closer to Gavin, to which the other man reflexively backed away. "Are you quite sure you have nothing to share, Gavin?"  When Gavin said nothing, Elijah sighed. "Very well, we do this the hard way then."

Gavin was braced for a punch or an object being thrown. What he wasn't expecting was for that object to be the whole table, which Elijah kicked across to pin Gavin into the wall behind him. With the wood bridged across his hips, Gavin couldn't move his legs at all and gasped when Elijah put more pressure on the opposite side. 

"You know, you can make all of this stop, Gavin," Elijah told him, voice dripping with honey as he shoved his foot harder against the edge of the table and crushed Gavin more. "All you need to do is give me something to use against Connor. Surely the Prince has said something?"

"No! He didn't!" Gavin cried as Elijah gave it another sharp kick to charge the angle so that the corner was jabbing right into Gavin's lower abdomen. "Fuck!"

"Now, now. Language, my dear Gavin," Elijah chastised while steadily increasing the pressure until Gavin screamed. "Truly, nothing?"

"No!" Gavin yowled, eyes wide as he saw Elijah take a hold of one of the knocked over glasses. The king shattered it crudely on the table, leaving Gavin to see the jagged remains before he then pulled out a dagger and laid it on the table. 

"In that case, I will have to make my own weakness to exploit," the king sneered. "As much as I can see that the two are at odds, I'm sure that King Connor would be heartbroken if anything happened to his younger sibling and heir, no?" he asked while twirling the blade, watching Gavin's own reactions now that he wasn't tempering them. "There are clearly lots of nooks and hidden spaces in this castle from how you have been vanishing away-"

"I'll never give you him!" Gavin bellowed even as Elijah pressed the table in so hard that it felt like he couldn't breathe from the pain. In fact, he was sure he would be purple by this stage.

"Oh, is that so?" Elijah chuckled and placed the dagger harmlessly down on the table for a second, watching until Gavin's eyes fell to it before he snapped a hand around Gavin's neck and slammed his front down on the table.

Gavin hadn't even got his bearings before he screamed at the top of his lungs, the shattered glass now plunged into the flesh of his shoulder.

"Good luck getting that out yourself," Elijah spat, twisting it maliciously before leaving Gavin with one last kick to the table. Now having stepped away, Gavin's body weight made the table shift and he crumpled to the ground a shivering, pained wreck.

"Just bear in mind Gavin, this is what I do to you - and you know what I'm capable of," the king warned with venom. "Either way, the prince will die. How painless it becomes...that is up to you. Take the dagger and I will make it swift. Refuse, and I'll ensure you watch as I end him slowly. Time is not your friend here, Gavin - choose carefully."

Elijah then turned and left the room without so much as another word, Gavin sobbing at the pain as he was left in a bloodied mess on the floor, the broken glass still embedded in his back.

* * *

Nines was on edge the rest of the day. Elijah seemed to know very well that he'd gotten under the prince's skin and that pissed him off even further. He didn't need this kind of stress and dinner time couldn't come fast enough. When the meetings finally broke for the day, Nines had to control his exit to make it not look like a hasty retreat. He needed to know that Gavin was okay, needed to get away from everyone else. Royalty be damned he had a love to return to.

He didn't find Gavin. He couldn't look too hard because of the fear of setting off something unpleasant, but the fact that his love was nowhere to be found made his stomach roil. The prince ended up, after checking his study and his room, in the kitchen. The staff had been reduced since it was after dinner and only the prep for tomorrow was underway. He needed to do something with his hands, but couldn't bear to paint at the moment. 

"Prince Nines?" Luther asked softly, "You look a bit shaken."

Nines flinched at being so obvious but didn't elaborate. "Just looking for something to do," he replied a little evasively.

Luther softened more, if such a thing was possible. "Would you like to help me make the bread for tomorrow?"

The prince took a deep breath before nodding. "That sounds like a plan." Burying himself in tasks always made things easier to deal with. Even if his brain never stopped screaming at him.  Nines knew it was un-princely to walk around the castle covered in flour after he had finished, but frankly he didn't care. 

He was making his way back up to his room for a broken sleep when the silence was broken.  "Nines?" the voice of his brother floated to him.

Nines ground his teeth as he stopped walking and turned around with a tight lipped smile. "Hey, Connor. Is this important? I'm off to bed."

"You look like the staff like that," the king pointed out.

The younger brother took a deep breath through his nose before replying. "Do I? I didn't know flour had a class."

"I need to talk to you about your... situation," Connor said after he'd recovered from his flinch.

"Connor, please. I'm not in the mood," Nines growled.

"Well, I'm not either, but that's a different matter. Come up to my study." Connor said, leaving no room for argument. He turned around and started that way.

Nines knew he had to follow and a bit of dread crawled up his spine.  "Connor is this necessary? It's late and..." Nines tried to talk himself out of this encounter, but Connor had other ideas.

"Yes, Nines this is necessary. Just like all the messes you make that I have to clean up. Talking about it is necessary."  Nines bristled at Connor's comment, but kept his mouth shut.  "Tell me what's been going through your head, that makes it look like you're trying to court a visiting King's personal slave." It wasn't a question, but a demand that Nines couldn't refuse.

"Gavin."

"What?" Connor asked through a blink.

"His name is Gavin," Nines repeated. "And I don't think I have the time to answer your question."

Connor shook his head. "What's that supposed to mean?"

Nines swallowed and looked his brother dead in the eyes. "I love him."

The king didn't say anything at first. He blinked a few times and then sighed. "You may love him, but he probably doesn't love you back," he pointed out. "You're just the means to the end for this ‘Gavin’."

The prince's hands clenched into fists. "You've not even said one word to him. You don't know that," he bit out.

"I don't need to. If he's anything like King Elijah he's just as much as a snake," Connor deadpanned.

Nines took a few steps towards his brother in anger. "He's nothing like that... that  _ abusive monster." _

Connor's eyes widened at the statement. "Gavin's told you things about Elijah?"

"Not directly," Nines sneered, "the amount of times I've found Gavin busted up and bloody has told me enough."

The king paced for a few moments, before he stopped directly in front of Nines. "You're too trusting. The last time you trusted someone you shouldn't have, the cost was our family."

Nines felt his lips curl in anger at the painful reminder. "Yeah, you weren't there for that, if I remember correctly. You walked away from that day completely unscathed."  Connor took a step back, eyes widening in horror, but Nines didn't stop.  "Yeah. You were up with Hank weren't you? Too busy sucking dick to notice what was going on," his tone taking on a nasty edge.

"Excuse me," Connor sputtered, "I... I was busy. Hank was just with me." The lie fell flat and they both knew it.

"You have no right to judge or control me on my personal life choices. Because if you'd been a better person and a better king I wouldn't be next in line." Nines let Connor interpret that how he liked, be it Cecil or Hank. He didn't care. Uncaring, he started to make his way towards the exit.

"My guard kept me safe! What's so wrong with that!?" Connor's voice was desperate in his shout to his brother.

Nines stopped and shot Connor one last glare. "Too bad that didn't help Cecil." 

He then left, slamming the door behind him.


	17. With You Till The End

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> **Trigger warnings**: Discussions of blood, injuries, recovery from trauma and nightmares. Please be wary if any of these topics upset you.

By the time Gavin was even vaguely aware of anything other than searing pain in his gut or back, feather light hands were turning him from his side on to his front. "Easy, Gavin," Chloe soothed. "It's just Rupert and I. We're going to patch you up, okay?"

Gavin laughed cynically. "What's the fucking point, Chlo?" he rasped out. "He's just gonna do worse next time. Might distract me from whatever that is if I'm already in enough pain."

The other two shared a look before Chloe took a hold of the glass still in Gavin's back and yanked it out, the two of them wincing at how he howled. "Sorry," she apologised sadly. "It had to come out though, Gavin."

Rupert pulled away the torn fragments of Gavin's shirt and had a look at the wound, wincing. "A lot of these fragments of glass are pretty well embedded, Chloe. I don't think I can get these out with what we have - and I don't know who we could trust to get some help for him."

Gavin looked up, head dizzy and nausea still in his throat. "I...I know someone, but I don't want you two getting mixed up in it...Just get me into the gardens and I'll find my way from there."

Chloe looked at him knowingly. "You're going to see Prince Richard, aren't you?" 

"Not quite, but as good as," he panted.

"Gavin...what's going on between you? What I saw- I could have sworn that you two are in love."

He didn't answer her, but he did smile. "Please, help me."

Chloe and Rupert reluctantly did as he asked. They helped to smuggle him across the castle and brought him outside. Nervous, they let Gavin go with a thick branch, which he was using to keep himself upright as he staggered across the grounds. In the dark he was all but invisible, and made it to the study without being seen. 

It took a colossal effort for him to open the hatch and slip inside, and he only just hauled himself through the gap before he crashed to the ground in a still bleeding heap. Gasping for air, he managed to haul himself back to his feet and had to bite back a scream of pain as he tried to open the bookcase one-handed.

He finally managed to make enough of a gap to slip through, not noticing the bloody trail he was leaving behind as he struggled up the stairs. Before he even got the corresponding hatch open up the stairs, he passed out from the pain and collapsed against it with a large crash.

Rose had just returned to Nines' room to finish cleaning after the morning fiasco, taking a much needed break before she was back.  She'd barely got the sheets off the bed when she heard an alarming thud from around the staircase. Quickly, she turned around and beelined towards the secret door and opened it.

A gasp in horror escaped her as she saw that Gavin was unconscious, bleeding heavily from a terrible wound in his back. She looked around and hesitated for only a few moments before she hauled him up and towards the bathroom.

It was a bit of a slow process but she had to save this young man. She had finally gotten him propped up against the bathroom wall and then dove into her work. Firstly she cut off his shirt and gasped again as the extent of the injury sunk in. Broken glass was stuck in several places and he was still bleeding slowly. Terrified of making things worse, she applied a bit of pressure to slow the flow.

Gavin yelped back to awareness all of a sudden and saw Rose there as the intense pain gave him a brief burst of adrenaline. Relieved that he'd found her, he barely got anything out before the world started to swim again. "Sorry, I didn't...nowhere..."  He passed out again, hopeful that he would find help in her care. 

Rose scrambled to work as fast and gentle enough as could, racing to get Gavin stable.

* * *

Nines ground his teeth as he stormed away from Connor and took a sharp turn towards the guards' training grounds; he needed to let off steam or he was going to pop a blood vessel. 

He slammed opened the door to the ground and the few guards in the area looked at him with wide eyes.  "Your Majesty?" one of them asked.

"I'm going to train. Leave me be unless you want to spar," Nines said quickly and darkly as he grabbed a sword from the wall before making his way to the training yard.  None of the guards volunteered. Nines could best almost all of them on a normal day, let alone when he was visibly angry.

The prince found himself himself alone and the first thing he did was let out a scream as he charged a dummy, desperate to find a release.

Nines wore himself out until he was sweaty and thoroughly exhausted, having tired himself out of being angry. Now he was just reserved and a bit depressed.  He knew he shouldn't have said what he did to Connor, but too many years of not saying anything finally caught up to him. Having burned off his frustrations, he left the training grounds silently deciding to take a bath and try to sleep. 

He returned to his chambers and froze when he saw a trail of blood leading to his bathroom. His mind ran to worst case scenarios, logical thoughts reading from his mind as he scrambled to follow it. But as he pulled open the door, nothing could have prepared him for what he saw.

Gavin was extremely bloodied and unconscious, with Rose working pieces of broken glass out of a still bleeding injury.

Nines blacked out for a few seconds before his training kicked in. He dropped to Gavin's side and assessed the injury as quickly as possible before turning to Rose. "Status?" he barked out, reminiscent of his days as a soldier.

Rose turned to him with a worried expression on her face. “He’s fragile,” she told him seriously. “He’s lost a fair amount of blood and is weak. I’ve been trying to work shards of glass out of his shoulder for a while now.  He came to once when I first found him, but he’s been out cold since.”

The prince swallowed hard and washed his hands before grabbing a pair of tweezers. "Let's work together to get the glass out as soon as possible. Because the sooner we get that done the sooner we can properly stop the bleeding." He didn't even hesitate as he dove into the work.  Rose tried to follow Nines’ lead but she was nowhere as proficient as he was. She was suddenly immensely grateful for all his years spent out on the frontlines of war, as it meant he would have seen far worse levels of injury than this - not to say that this wasn’t serious.

“Okay, that looks like all of it,” she breathed, relieved after some time. “I’ve got some gauze and bandages from the medical kit but I don’t know if we need more.”

Nines nodded. "We need to apply pressure until the bleeding stops. I think I have enough here to cover it, but the bandages will need to be changed soon and I'll need supplies by then." He checked Gavin's vitals and tried to not freak out when his heartbeat was faint, but thankfully the bleeding finally stopped as they applied the final bandage.

A quick look at Nines told Rose that he was not in a good place mentally, and she placed a comforting hand on his shoulder. “Shall we move him to the bed? Gavin may be able to rest a little there, he will need to recover a lot of strength.”  Nines didn't reply verbally, nodding again. 

"He'll need something to eat when he wakes up too. Because if my guess is correct he hasn't had a chance to eat yet today," the prince guessed as h e gently picked Gavin up and cradled him to his chest. He turned to take his love to the bed. "Hey, Gavin. You're gonna be okay. I got you now. I'm gonna take care of you. You just have to be okay," he cooed as he settled the other man in. Nines hoped more than anything that Gavin would recover.

He then turned back to Rose upon realising the additional injuries. "What happened to his neck?" he asked softly.

She hesitated before answering. “He first came here this morning, panicked, with his neck bleeding on both sides," Rose admitted. "Gavin never told me what happened or who did this to him, but I patched him up as best I could before he left.” She looked distraught. ”Gavin made me swear not to tell you, he said it was too dangerous. If I’d known that he could end up like this... I’m-I’m so sorry.”

"Hey, it's okay. You did your best and I can't thank you enough for taking care of him for me." Nines placed a comforting hand on Rose's arm. "I don't think either of us could have imagined anything like this happening. I just hope he recovers."

Nodding against the emotion, Rose looked towards the door. “I’ll go and find some food. Give me ten minutes and I’ll be back with something.”  She then gave Nines a quick hug before quietly leaving out the main bedroom door.

Nines watched as it closed behind her. The click of the latch felt like a gunshot and he collapsed to the floor as soon as he was alone. His hands went to his hair and tears slipped down his cheeks. He was barely able to control his breathing as he was slowly falling into hysterics: anguish, terror, lividness coursed through him. 

Today had been too much already and now he had to live in fear that Gavin may never wake again? He couldn't handle this. Moving back to the castle was tedious but it was supposed to be  _ safe.  _

He'd been so convinced that Elijah wouldn't kill Gavin that he'd become sloppy. And now? Gavin was paying the price.

A small, quiet groan emanated from the bed, breaking Nines' spiralling thoughts. “Ngh...Anyone...?” Gavin whispered.

Nines froze, his eyes widening as his head shot into the direction of Gavin's weak voice. His green eyes were glossed over in pain, but very much open.  Nines ran a quick hand through his hair, trying to tame his wild curls as the other smeared the tears away the best he could. He stood up on shaky legs and made his way to the bed, putting on the bravest face he could muster. "Hey, Gav. I'm right here," he whispered lovingly.

Gavin blinked in disbelief a few times before he managed to focus. “Ni...? How...Is that really...you?” His voice was incredibly faint and dazed. “Am I...dreaming? Am I...Everything’s kinda numb...”

The prince smiled around the stab of pain in his chest as he caressed Gavin's cheek tenderly. "Yeah, love. It's me and this is real." He leaned in and placed a gentle kiss on Gavin's forehead. "You've lost a lot of blood, numbness is a normal byproduct of that, but you're gonna be okay."

“What...happened?” Gavin asked dazedly, eyes starting to roll again. “I think I...I want to sleep...”

"I-I'm not sure," Nines croaked, trying to keep his voice level, "but that's okay too. Sleep will make you feel better." He swallowed around the lump in his throat, emotions choking him up. "I love you, Gavin."

“Love you...Ni...” He then fell back into a pain induced oblivion once again, but not before he’d moved his hand ever so slightly towards Nines, reaching out for him.  Nines tangled his fingers with Gavin's as his other hand went to rub at his eyes. He let out a tired and despairing sigh.

He couldn't keep doing this. Gavin couldn't keep doing this. Something needed to give, something needed to change. His hands started to shake with the intense emotions. At this rate he was going to do something crazy, consequences be damned.

Rose came back in a couple of minutes later and smiled sadly at seeing Nines right beside Gavin, staring at him in blatant concern and love.  “Gavin is a strong young man, Nines. He will recover in time, I’m sure. I just wish he would say who did this to him, and why he doesn’t fight back...” Even if she had all but figured it out, she wondered if Nines would put the rest of the pieces together.

Nines reluctantly looked up at Rose and he knew his eyes must look chilling. "Class and social expectations can be real nasty things. Not everyone who has as much power as me uses it for good."

She sat down on Gavin’s other side, placing a gentle hand on his lower stomach which caused him to gasp in pain, even in his sleep. Eyes wide, she shifted down his pants a little and gasped at the almost black bruise there.  “Oh my goodness...someone’s torturing him,” she said with tears in her eyes.  The prince screwed his eyes shut and nodded, unable to form words. He knew that all too well. So many scars, so many horror stories and he felt like he still only knew a fraction of those horrors.

Scanning over Gavin’s scars and wounds, Rose looked at Nines seriously. “It’s King Elijah, isn’t it? This young man is one of his servants - that’s how you two met. Oh, Nines, why didn’t you tell me that you are in love? Keeping this a secret must be so hard.”

"There are worse things," Nines said as he looked at Rose. "You'd be correct on all accounts except one. Gavin is King Elijah's slave."

Her eyes shadowed. “I’ve heard tales of those who are condemned as slaves in King Elijah’s kingdom, but I didn’t realise that any existed beyond prison cells. Almost always if one member of a family is branded a traitor in his kingdom, the rest are charged with the same crime.  How did he end up belonging to King Elijah when the rest all suffer that fate?”

"I... I don't know," Nines stated. "All I know is that his mother was a traitor. how he ended up under Elijah's thumb is beyond me."

Rose pressed a hand to where Nines was holding Gavin’s. “I know you, and I know how you think. What are you planning?” she asked with a smile. “You wouldn’t just give up.”

Nines cracked a small smile. "Personally I'd like to kill the man, but slaying a king is not the best course of action."  He took Rose's hand in his. "I really do love him, Mum. I'm going to do everything in my power to keep him safe." He swallowed and looked her in the eyes hoping she would understand. "I'm going to marry him."

She teared up a little. “Oh, Nines...I’m so happy for you!” Her face then fell a little. “But what about the King? Would he give you permission to marry a foreign slave?”

"Connor?" Nines shook his head in the negative. "Considering he all but called me a whore today, and that we fought so much about that..." he swallowed as he paused, "Cecil came up, I don't think he's going to give his blessing." He gave her a watery yet determined smile. "But since when has Connor stopped me before?"

Rose winced and then looked down at the sleeping Gavin again. “I wish it meant more, but I would vouch for you,” Rose told him. “Both of you. I may not have had much interaction with Gavin, but it’s clear that he adores you with all his heart.  All he was worried about was making sure you didn’t find out and become upset. He was worried that you might do something stupid,” she said with a teary smile.

"Mum, your approval means the world to me." Nines gave her a soft kiss on the cheek. "Nothing is more important to me than my mum's blessing."  He pulled back and gave Gavin a sad smile. "Me doing something stupid isn't outside the realm of possibility, but I'd loath to upset Gavin further. So I'll resist the urge. I just want him to be okay, Mum, I can't handle the idea that whenever I leave him that... That  _ monster _ does something like this."

“Having seen the state of poor Gavin now, I dread to think about the story behind so many of these marks...” she said sadly while ghosting fingers over a couple of his scars. “Has he told you?”

Nines nodded solemnly. "He's told me a little bit but most of the stories are still for me to learn. He... He actually asked about mine a bit more."

Rose looked at him seriously. She was one of the very few who knew most, if not all, of them. “How much did you trust him with?” she wondered.

"I told him about all the big ones except the friendly fire one." Nines told her honestly. "Not because I didn't want to, but because he didn't ask about that one."

Her eyes fell to Gavin again. “When you realise what King Elijah is doing to him, it makes me fear for what that mad King could possibly want out of peace. Is it bad that I don’t trust him to have honourable intentions in coming here?”

"You and me both." Nines shook his head as he thought about that disgusting human being. "That man is here for something and I may not know what it is yet, but I know for sure as hell it isn't peace."

Nines moved to caress Gavin's face and he smiled down at him. He then looked at Rose. "Would you hate me if we left for a while? Not forever, just until things calm down? I can't keep him safe here."

Rose smiled at him softly. "You know I would never begrudge you anything, least of all your happiness, Nines. Given the suffering Gavin is going through, I cannot blame you for wishing to steal him away from it all. Is that something you two have talked about?" she asked gently.

"I've mentioned but he's terrified to leave." Nines looked at the window, "I think he's afraid that Elijah hunt Gavin, would find us. I don't think Gavin understands the lengths I would go to keep him safe. Even a life on the run would be a free one for him."

"Elijah is a King, Nines, and a well feared one at that. He's rumoured to have connections to many of the hitmen across the kingdoms, and to have arranged multiple assassinations. Gavin's fear might be well placed." She then placed a hand on Nines' cheek to reassure him. "And I think you both have the same thoughts - you would do anything for one another. Gavin is willing to endure this to stop you from showing in King Elijah's sights."

Nines leaned into the touch a bit and let out a rough sigh. "Based on an earlier conversation, I think that it may be a bit late for that. Elijah said some very threatening things to me. "

Rose froze at the revelation. "He threatened you?" she whispered in fear.

"Yes? I think so, I'm not exactly sure," Nines mumbled, "but I have a fair reason to be cautious."

She moved to sit next to Nines on his side of the bed. "Tell me exactly what he said," she demanded, her tone leaving no room for argument. "I can maybe see what I can learn from the other servants in the castle, learn what to be wary of."

He blushed in embarrassment, even now her protectiveness still caught him off-guard. "Well, he knows I was a soldier, and gave this threatening chess analogy, talking about me like I was Connor's 'queen' and about how he had a queen of his own in play. It wasn't direct but the threat was there." He was very clearly avoiding telling the full truth, he didn't want Rose anymore tangled up with this mess than she already was.

That got her thinking. "I don't like the sound of that, it almost sounded like a veiled warning that King Elijah could have an assassin amongst his party. Someone that he feels could get close enough to kill you..." Hey eyes fell to Gavin in fear.

Nines shot up from the bed at the look. "No," he said firmly. "Gavin would  _ never  _ hurt me!" He felt his fists clench in fury. "He's- he's not like Leo!"

Rose's eyes softened as she looked at Nines. "I know, I can already tell that this young man is not anything like that  _ snake _ . That's not what has me worried..." She looked down at Gavin again. "I fear that King Elijah knows about the two of you and is trying to bait you into a trap," she whispered. "What better way to cause you to endanger yourself than to hurt someone you love?"

Nines nodded and let out a harsh breath out his nose. "There is no greater strength  _ and  _ weakness than love." His hands then went to his hair again in anguish. "Oh, god. This is all my fucking fault."

She removed the hands from Nines’ hair gently and held them in her hands soothingly. “You can’t possibly believe that,” she said softly.

"I don't know what to believe. It's just been so much. My emotions have been all over the place," he sighed. "I'm not even used to being back in the palace again, even my fucking day terrors are coming back."

“Come here,” she said softly while drawing Nines in for a hug. “I don’t know what to say to make you feel any better about all this, but it will resolve itself. I truly believe that. Not all nightmares last forever: eventually you wake up.”

"I hope so." Nines murmured as he returned the hug tightly. The comfort of the gesture melted some of his tension away. He clutched at her and let out a few sobs. "I love you for being such a good mum to me. Thank you."

Rose smiled while tearing up a little. “You know I’ll always be here for you; and that goes for both of you now. I’ll help you in any way I can.”

Nines pulled back from the hug and wiped away the few stray tears. "I appreciate that." He looked at Gavin for a moments before going back to Rose. "Do you think tomorrow you could watch him while I'm at the peace talks? We both need to get some sleep, but I can't leave him alone."

“Of course, I would. It's my honour to watch your future husband, Nines” she smiled with a wink. “Don’t worry, Gavin will be safe with me.” 

He let out a soft laugh as he leaned in and gave her a kiss on the cheek. "Goodnight, Rose." She returned a soft kiss and bid her farewells before leaving the two alone. 

The prince then tiredly stripped and laid down. He made sure to check Gavin's vitals and after confirming he was doing a bit, better he tucked in for the night. Eventually he fell into a fitful sleep, making sure to keep his love within arm's reach.

* * *

Sipping a glass of wine from the balcony of his chambers, Elijah heard the soft click of his door from some distance away and waited until Chloe came closer before speaking. “Well?” 

Chloe hesitated for a moment before relaying her update. “As far as I can tell, he’s alive. The lack of activity around the Prince’s chambers suggests that he’s remaining there for the time being. From how badly you messed him up, it could be more than a day before he’s fit enough to stand again.” There was a slightly sharp edge to her voice but Elijah simply chuckled, ignoring it. 

“All the better - the more fragile he gets, the better for us. Both Nines and Gavin will begin to fear for his life more: Gavin will become paranoid and the Prince will grow more desperate to try and find a way to protect him. If he goes to Connor about it, everything will be all too easy. Connor would never trust Gavin to have honest intentions given he belongs to me.” 

Chloe’s stomach soured. “You’re just going to keep pushing him, aren’t you? Until you either break him or kill him.” 

“You’re well aware that I have no intention in fratricide, Chloe,” Elijah sneered while taking another drink. “But what I do short of that...let’s see if I need to up my game even more, shall we?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> **Skye: Who else wants to skewer Elijah at this point? Not just me I hope. **


	18. The Walls Have Ears

Nines woke up once again from a vague nightmare and decided it was late enough to start getting up. First thing he did was check on Gavin. He was still asleep but he was starting to look better, some colour was returning to his face. The prince let out a sigh of relief. Gavin had made it through the first night, so he was almost certain to pull through. 

Now a little more relieved, Nines let out a breath and climbed out of bed, before taking a bath and dressing. He decided to let his curls air dry and sat back down on the bed. This was followed by grabbing his stretch book and starting to drawing, trying to calm his frayed nerves. There was a soft knock on the door not long after and Rose smiled at Nines as she entered the room, before her gaze switched to Gavin. “How did you both sleep?” she asked while going through for some more bandages.

The prince put his sketchbook down to give Rose his full attention "As well as you'd expect," he answered with a shrug. "I'm not looking forward to these talks."

Rose put a gentle hand on his shoulder as she gave him a fond look. “I know it is hard, but you will have minimal input. This is Connor’s wish and he is the one driving it. Just leave him to try and lead, and you focus on not trying to come up with several ways of eviscerating King Elijah,” she winked knowingly.

Nines smiled at that. "I'm not much of a talker. You know that and Connor knows that, I'll stay out of it. And I'll try to act accordingly." He then caressed Gavin's face and leaned in to gave him a soft kiss. Nines had hoped that he would have woken up for a bit before he had to leave, but it didn't look like that would be the case. "I think I need to head out. I'm going to eat breakfast in the kitchen again, that way I can avoid people without raising suspicion."

Rose watched him with a soft smile and offered Nines another hug as he stood. “He’s not going anywhere,” she reassured him. “I’ll look after him, you have my word.” Pulling back with a final squeeze of his shoulder Rose ushered him towards the door. “Go on, and try to behave yourself today. I know it won’t be easy, but he’s getting better.”

"I trust you," Nines gave Gavin one last glance and nodded to Rose. "I'll behave. I promise. Goodbye." Then he was out the door, turning to his guard right after he closed it behind him. "If King Elijah or any of his staff come near my room, don't engage. Report their actions to me immediately." 

The guard's eyes widened, but he nodded. "Of course, Prince Nines." 

"Good. Thank you." With a curt nod Nines then turned and started to make his way towards the kitchen. 

Luther and Kara greeted the prince warmly as he arrived before they watched him steal something to eat. "Avoiding the crowds?" Kara chirped happily. 

Nines swallowed and smiled at the pair. "Always." 

She giggled and shook her head fondly. "If I didn't know Luther, I'd say you're too big to be as shy as you are," she replied with a smile on her face as she walked out to deliver meals. Nines wished he wasn't so shy but today it seemed to lean in his favor. He shoved the last bite of food in his mouth, too nervous to take his time to eat and braced himself for the lion's den. 

The meeting room was warmly lit with a map was laid out on the table and Connor perched on his chair. Elijah had yet to arrive. Connor pointedly didn't say anything to Nines, which he just rolled with as he took his seat. He was going to behave, he'd promised Rose, but as the talks kept dragging on it was harder to stay true to. There was far too much useless chatter about territories and the possibility of redoing a few borders. 

Nines? All he could think about was Gavin: who the last time he'd seen him, was still unconscious and bruised to hell. He knew Gavin was in good hands. Rose was a wonder, but that didn't change the fact that he was terrified he'd go back and find his new fiancé dead. If only there was something worth his attention here, it might have helped to stop his thoughts from spiralling. 

He ran a hand through his already very unruly hair as his mind kept jumping away. Connor was still making a point to not speak to him and that created an even more stressful negotiating environment. 

Elijah wanted something he shouldn't have, and Connor was hee-hawing about the matter. It made Nines want to yank his hair out instead. He didn't have the patience for this today, he barely had it on a normal day, but he had to deal with a petty Connor and a far too smooth acting Elijah. At this rate he was going to kill someone by dinner, promise be damned if this kept up.

Much to everyone's surprise, Chloe burst into the room and whispered something to Elijah. The king did not react beyond nodding, but eventually stood apologetically. "You will have to excuse me, Connor. It seems there is a situation with one of the members of my staff having fallen gravely ill. I must attend to this before we can continue, I hope you can forgive the sudden break." As he was leaving, Elijah made eye contact with Nines and smirked, even winking at him before departing out the door.

Nines liked to consider he had a good hold on his temper, but he was seeing red. Everything around faded as he got tunnel vision to the door. That monster was going to do something else to Gavin. He didn't even know he had stood up until a hand grabbed his wrist. Nines zeroed in on it and looked alarmed as he followed the arm up to the face. Amanda. _ Fuck. _

"Prince Richard?" Amanda said in her cold tone. She was pissed enough to be using his full name. 

"Lady Amanda, may I have my wrist back?" He said in a forced even tone. 

She pulled back, letting him go. "Disorderly conduct is uncouth in this meeting and I expect better from you." 

Nines scoffed aloud. "Lower your expectations," he sneered as he made a beeline for the door, not caring what anyone else thought. Elijah's taunt was too fresh in his mind: he had to reach Gavin, now.

* * *

As the morning went on, Rose went about her duties slower than usual. Fortunately, she wasn’t often required to go beyond Nines’ room as his personal servant, so no-one questioned why she didn't leave the room again. All the time she cleaned and reorganised the room around her, she kept checking on Gavin to make sure he was still well. After an hour had gone and he was yet to wake, she decided to break the silence. “You and I need a long talk when you come to,” she told him with a whisper.

It took until lunch time before Gavin stirred at long last, and he groaned deeply as the pain registered. A cool cloth on his forehead made him jump and he opened frightened eyes towards the source of the movement. "It's okay, Gavin, you're safe," Rose soothed. "How are you feeling?" 

Another groan and Gavin hissed as he tried to shift. "In a fucking mess," he grumbled. "Christ, Elijah hasn't messed me up like that in a while." He then paled as he registered what he'd said. "I mean, umm-" 

"Don't worry, Prince Nines has already told me much about you; including how you are physically abused by King Elijah. As if I hadn't detested him enough before," she informed him coldly, which caused Gavin to snort. "I am beyond relieved to see you awake and alert, the Prince has been beside himself in worry. It would have broken his heart beyond repair to lose someone he loves again." 

Gavin's eyes shadowed in guilt. "I wish he hadn't been dragged into this. He shouldn't be burdened by me."

Rose didn't quite know how to sort that problem right now, so instead took his hand to squeeze it comfortingly. "How does some food sound?" she offered instead, which Gavin accepted whole-heartedly. He had a lot of time to think while she was away getting some food - and her words from earlier haunted him. 

After eating the small meal that Rose had brought back Gavin groaned as he attempted to sit up, muttering under his breath when he needed help from the woman next to him. "Rose, you said earlier about Nines having lost people he loved. I know he lost his parents years ago when they were assassinated, but something had been bugging me. Nines said that his mother gave birth to twins, but he and Connor are several years apart. Does that mean that there's a third brother somewhere?" 

Her eyes shadowed. "This is something that is difficult to explain. Maybe it is easier to show you," she sighed.

Rose stood up and made her way to Nines' closet. There was a small painting of the twins he had done several years earlier, just tucked away behind some clothes. She gently grabbed it and started back towards Gavin, preparing herself for a draining conversation as she handed Gavin the painting. "Connor has... had a twin named Cecil. He was killed along with the King and Queen."

Gavin's heart lurched at the news. "Fuck...so they lost not only their parents but also their brother? How did they survive?" he asked quietly.

She blinked back tears at the memory of finding Nines lying prone on the castle floor in a puddle of blood. The sight of him clutching his stomach, trying to hold everything in was something she didn't like to remember. She shook the image and swallowed back the tiny wave of nausea before going on. "Nines was... lucky. He was stabbed, the assassin had a personal connection with him. It was only through luck, sheer will, and a well trained medical team that he survived." She paused for a moment. "Connor was away. He didn't know about the attack until the next day."

That was not anything Gavin had expected. "Wait, someone- It was someone that Nines _ knew _that tried to kill him? He was betrayed?" he whispered in horror. No wonder Nines felt that he couldn't stay in the castle after that, it explained so much.

Rose nodded. "The war with Jericho was still new then, but Nines and Prince Leo had been friends before that. Prince Leo was visiting with his usual guard of soldiers, but it was all a ploy..." She swallowed at the memories. "You know the rest."

Gavin winced. "Fuck, no wonder Nines can't trust people. Makes me wonder why he ever thought me trustworthy, given my fucking connection to Elijah..."

She chuckled at that. "Nines doesn't trust _ nobles _or the like. He's always been more of a, for lack of a better term, a peasant." She put a caring hand on Gavin's shoulder. "I think it's in your eyes, they're just so kind."

Blushing a little, Gavin gave her a friendly smile. "Believe it or not, I think that's Elijah's doing. I've always despised his eyes - the sheer indifference and how he just doesn't give a damn about anything, least of all the harm he causes. I've always been determined to never let him win, I know he wants to see me break. What better way to deny him that, than to let him see that I won't treat the world the way he does?"

That caused Rose to smile all the more. "The more I get to know you, the more perfect I realise you are for Nines. You two are very much alike and that warms my heart."

The red on Gavin's cheeks grew a little more. "Thank you, but you both give me far too much credit. I'm just a ghost who never should have been..." They were the words that had haunted Gavin for years, ever since they'd been spat at him by Elijah when he was a teenager. He'd never truly understood them, but could only assume it was something to do with his lost parentage.

Rose pinched her eyebrows together at hearing Gavin's words. What a horrible thing to have been told. "Soulmates," she settled on instead. "Nines wasn't supposed to be here either, he was born eight years after the twins if that tells you anything. The queen wanted a girl."

Gavin chuckled and looked at Rose with tearful eyes. "Do you really think that?" he wondered with a whisper. "It just seems too impossible to be real after all of this time."

"Of course, dear." Rose pushed a few stray hairs out of his face as she gave Gavin a warm smile. "That's the only explanation for something as magical as you two have. Think about it, you two meeting let alone falling in love never should have happened, but it did." She started counting the items on her fingers. "Both of you being born in unlikely circumstances, surviving attacks, the war coming to end, Nines coming home, Elijah agreeing to the peace talks, Nines catching your eye, getting the nerve to talk to you. It's very magical indeed."

Smiling sadly, Gavin's eyes fell to the covers. "I just wonder if this impossible romance has a good ending...Right now, I can't see one. As much as I want to think I can last until the peace talks are over, Elijah is getting more and more vicious. If he goes any more intense than..." He turned to look at his mangled shoulder. "I don't know what to do," he whispered softly.

Rose opened her mouth to respond, but the sound of the door being opened tore her attention away from Gavin. Nines had entered the room. He was all out of sorts and he looked like he was barely holding himself together. Rose looked at the painting still in Gavin's hands and realized it was too late to hide it.

Gavin subtly shifted the painting to his side and gasped in pain, clutching a pillow over his stomach to obscure it, while he hoped that Nines' focus would be on him. One look at Nines had told Gavin that he was stressed to the maximum and seeing the painting would probably tip him over. At least after so many years of pulling misdirections off in front of others, Gavin knew how to be subtle.

Nines looked towards the bed and then saw that Gavin was sitting up with Rose, easing his racing mind slightly. "Thank God," he breathed as he made his way towards the bed. He gently cradled Gavin's face in his hands and placed a soft kiss on his lips. "I've been so worried." Another kiss came but his time on his forehead. "How are you feeling?"

"Like I've been flayed with a whip," Gavin joked while pulling Nines close to kiss him softly again. As he did so, he slid the painting towards Rose in the hopes that she'd manage to hide it while he kept Nines distracted. "Honestly, I feel a lot better than I did last night. That was...terrifying." He kissed Nines briefly again while reaching up to caress his face. "You look stressed. How can I help?"

The prince melted into Gavin's touch, the simply gestures bringing him back a measure of calm and ease. "You did give us a scare, but just knowing you're okay is more than enough. I'm here to take care of you, love." He was doing that and making sure Elijah didn't try anything. The paranoia of them having been watched and that bastard knowing where his secret entrance was had leaked under the skin. He had just needed to know that Gavin was still breathing, this was enough to melt away so much of his tension.

"What about the talks? Won't your absence cause a stir?" Gavin asked in concern, relieved when he felt Rose take the painting subtly and stand to give them a little space as she went through to the bathroom. Now alone with Nines, Gavin brought him in for a more passionate kiss, relishing getting to feel his fiance this close. "Fuck, I'm sorry," Gavin breathed against his lips.

"Don't you dare apologise," Nines whispered. "None of this is your fault. Okay?"

“How can I not? I can see how this is taking a toll on you, and I wish it wasn’t,” Gavin replied heavily. “I wish things weren’t like this, I wish we could just have a quiet life together...” Tears gathered in his eyes but didn’t fall. He was just so exhausted and scared of what could be coming next.

Nines kissed Gavin softly and ran his thumbs softly across Gavin's cheeks. "Taking a toll on me? Honey, I promise I'm okay. I'm just a bit worried and the talks are always stressful," he reassured with another kiss. "One day we'll have a quiet life together. You'll see, I promised that too."

Gavin sobbed harder and looked at Nines tearfully. “It’s you he’s after, Ni. He wants to kill you, and he’s not afraid of what walls he has to break through to do it! And I- I don’t know how to stop him. I don’t know how to protect you!” he croaked before breaking down completely.

The prince blinked as bile rose up though his throat. "What?" he asked simply, mechanically trying to comfort Gavin but the shock of such a statement had sent his brain away. Nines clutched at Gavin's hands but he really just wasn’t there anymore. His gaze dropped to the floor, his thoughts scrambled.

Gavin could see how shocked Nines was by his statement and his voice fell flat. “That’s what he wanted from me last night. He wanted to know how to get close to you, because he knows about us. He believes that I would know how to slip someone through the net to kill you.” He then cast a look at his heavily bandaged shoulder in disgust. “When I didn’t give him anything, this is what he did to me. Who knows how many more nights he’ll try before-“ Gavin didn’t finish and he didn’t need to: he was sure both he and Nines knew how that would end.

"No," Nines said firmly as he shook himself out of his shock. "You're not getting hurt again in my name. I won't allow it." Nines said in a voice that left no room for argument. The voice that he'd trained into himself when things all went to shit. "If Elijah wants to kill me he can do it like a man. You can tell him that." He let out a breath painfully. "I won't let him do this to you again."

_ “No!” _Gavin frantically shook his head and then gasped when the movement agitated his injured shoulder, clutching it painfully. “I can’t risk that, Ni. I won’t put you in Elijah’s path. He’s- he’s a monster. “

"I know that. God, I know that," Nines gently placed his hand on Gavin's uninjured shoulder while giving him a comforting smile, "but I'm a trained soldier and am more than capable of taking care of myself _ and _ you." He hung his head and whispered, "I won't survive losing you, especially when I'm the one that failed to protect you."

Gavin pulled Nines close and pressed their foreheads together. “You’re so many incredible things, Ni, and I would do anything for you. _Except_ put you in Elijah’s sights - I’d always put myself there first.” He held both of Nines’ cheeks and ran a thumb over one of them. “I love you, Ni, and nothing will ever change that.”

"I love you, too," Nines murmured as he softly kissed Gavin. He wanted to argue more about the point, but having the conversation of whom was going to die for whom wasn't needed. Nines would do anything for Gavin and that was that: and Gavin felt the same way about him. "Just remember that your life is not less valuable than mine."

Despite knowing that wasn’t true - Nines’ life was worth so much more than his - Gavin just smiled at his fiancé. “I only have to last a few more days is all. Right?” he asked hopefully. “And then it’s all over, either way.”

"Just a few more days until our happily ever after." Nines then kissed him again. "I'm glad you’re up and around, but I do need to return to the talks. Plus, Rose probably doesn't want to hide in the bathroom anymore I'm sure."

Gavin brought him in for a gentle hug. “I’m not going anywhere soon, Ni, I’m still pretty fragile. I’m dreading what Elijah’s going to do if I stay away much longer though...”

"What's he going to do? Stab my guard? That'll go over like a lead balloon," Nines snickered at himself, but quickly turned serious again. "He can't get to you here. Please stay, I want you to be safe. Rose will stay with you unless you send her away and I'll have Allen stationed outside. He's my best guard. You'll be okay here, as long as you remain."

Giving Nines a grateful smile, Gavin kissed him softly. “Okay, I will.” Or at least he would until he was strong enough - Gavin was certain that Elijah knew where he was; and the King's threat rang through his ears. He wouldn’t risk Nines, or anyone else, for his own safety. He ran his hand through Nines’ hair in a grounding gesture. “I guess you’d better go, huh?”

"Unfortunately," Nines sighed as he gave Gavin a peck. He pointed a thumb at the bathroom door as warning before shouting, "It's safe!" Rose then came out with a small smile. 

Nines stood up regretfully. "I have to go." He said quickly as emotions slammed into him once more and threatened to overwhelm him, at which he made a hasty retreat.

Gavin watched him go with a sad smile. “Be safe, Ni. I love you,” he said softly, uncaring about Rose standing nearby.

The prince paused at the door long enough to reply. "I love you too." He then walked out before turning to look at his guard. "Has anything happened around here?" he demanded.

The guard shook his head. "Negative, Prince Nines."

"Good. While I'm not here, I want Captain Allen and his team on alert." Nines didn't even let that sink in as he retreated towards the meeting rooms, steeling himself for what he might find.

Already missing Nines, Gavin turned and gave Rose a shy smile. “Sorry, we didn’t mean to leave you in there for so long,” he said sheepishly.

Rose laughed and gave a dismissive wave. "That's fine, I'm just happy he didn't see the painting. He would not have dealt with that well," she told him while taking a seat on the bed again.

“Yeah, he already looked so frazzled. I thought that might tip him over,” Gavin sighed. “I can only imagine the memories tied to that painting...”

"Yes, Cecil was closer to Nines than Connor," Rose sighed, "but that's to be expected when Connor was always being tutored to be king. Cecil and Nines weren't as much. There's actually a few paintings in Nines’ study that Cecil made with him when they were younger." She shook her head to clear the memories, there was still a lot of loaded emotions there.

Sighing shakily, Gavin looked at Rose with a tender smile. “If you have other duties that you need to attend to, Rose, I will be fine. I can feel myself getting stronger again, so I’ll be okay for a while.”

Rose nodded reluctantly, reading between the lines: she knew that meant he wanted to be alone. "Okay, make sure you eat something from the rest of the food that I brought you. I'll leave you to it." She gave Gavin a small bow before she made her way out the door.

Now alone, Gavin set out a shaky sigh and shifted himself so that he was sitting on the edge of the bed, testing the strength in his legs. Walking was going to be a challenge, but he was reasonably sure he could do it if necessary. He wanted to start building up to it, if nothing else just so that Nines wouldn’t worry about him.

A clatter from nearby made Gavin jump, and his blood ran cold when he saw a dagger glinting on the floor - one he was adamant wasn’t there before. Looking up, he could see that the window was open at the top and eyed the new addition to the room in fear. Shakily, Gavin slipped to his knees at the foot of the bed and reached out for the weapon. As soon as he had it however, his heart raced at seeing the message etched into the blade.

_ I hope you enjoyed learning about the lost Prince, Gavin. Next time, I’ll just use the hidden staircase in Prince Nines’ chambers to pay a visit. _

He began to hyperventilate. How could Elijah have known about that discussion with Rose concerning Cecil? About the hidden staircase which linked the two rooms?

Nines wasn’t safe, not while he was there. He had to leave _ right now. _

Pushing back to his feet unsteadily, Gavin found a long pole used to draw the high curtains of the room and leant all his weight on it, barely able to keep to his feet. It wasn’t as if he exactly had much choice though, he had to find a way out one way or another. Spying a piece of paper and a pen left nearby, Gavin tearfully scribbled a note for Nines and left it next to the dagger on the bed, hoping that his prince could forgive him for whatever happened next.

_ This is what Elijah is capable of, Ni, and I’d never give him an easy opportunity to hurt you. I love you and I always will. I’m so sorry - please be safe. _

With that, Gavin stumbled his way over to the wardrobe and grabbed anything which might pass as believable for him before slipping down the hidden staircase to make an escape through the study. 

He truly hoped Nines could forgive him for this - but as long as his prince was safe, Gavin had all he wanted.


	19. A Game of Words

Gavin had been dreading trying to make it all the way back to Elijah’s wing so weak, but it turned out that he didn’t need to be alone. Chloe met him at the other end of the garden and Gavin sighed as he reached her. “I guess not even you are spared from his tricks, huh?” he asked sadly.

Staring at Gavin in horror from how pale and exhausted he looked, Chloe wrapped Gavin’s arm around her shoulders and helped him to stumble onwards. “Gavin...Elijah has more eyes than just me, otherwise what happened today makes no sense,” she murmured.

He looked at her strangely. “What do you mean?”

She hesitated before telling him. “Rupert’s been poisoned, and I’m pretty sure it’s Elijah’s doing.”

Gavin froze on the spot and his heart clenched at the knowledge. "Take me to him. Please, Chloe." It took a long time for Chloe to guide the weakened Gavin to the wing of the castle designated for Elijah's entourage, and by the time they got there Gavin was panting and sweating even more. He really wasn't up to this in such fragile condition. When they finally reached the room in which Rupert was bedridden and pale, Gavin managed to push away from her and collapsed next to him. "Rupert, _ shit..." _

Tears of frustration gathered in Gavin's eyes and he stubbornly held them back. "You're right, Chloe. This had all the hallmarks of Elijah's handiwork. I've seen these exact effects from Jericho Dust." He turned to her and sighed shakily. 

"The good news is that no dose of this shit is fatal, but it could leave him paralysed and in immense pain for days. Maybe even weeks depending on how much of it Elijah made him inhale. Fuck..." Gavin turned back to Rupert and clenched his fist. "There's no reason for Elijah to do this to him, unless... Unless he knows that Rupert helped to get me to Nines' chambers last night," he surmised.

Chloe nodded, even if Gavin didn't see it. "That's what I fear - and I don't know who else Elijah has watching you."

Now the frustrated tears did fall. "Fuck, why?! Why does he have to control absolutely everything about me and hurt those around me who try to help?! What's his fucking game?!" She came to sit beside Gavin and offer him silent support but Chloe knew it was a hollow gesture. 

If she was brave enough to actually help him rather than be afraid of Elijah's wrath, she would tell someone the truth. All of it. Except she wasn't - and until she was, she knew that the cycle was probably doomed to continue until Gavin finally broke apart.

* * *

Nines was tired. He was so done with this royal song and dance; he knew he was walking into a wolf den, but he didn't expect it to be just Connor and Hank. The prince almost turned around to leave, but the decision was made for him at the voice which called out to him. "Nines? Can we talk real quick?"

He froze and let out breath before responding. "Sure."

Connor looked at Hank before turning back to his brother. "Hank has told me that you've increased security near your chambers. Is everything okay?" he asked carefully.

"Will you actually listen to me this time?" Nines challenged.

The king sighed and made a gesture towards Nines' chair. "Yes, I will."

Nines sat down, burying his head in his hands. "Where do I even begin?" he mused as he collected his thoughts, before he looked up with serious eyes. "I am almost certain that Gavin and I are in danger," Nines stated bluntly. "I don't want someone to hurt him while I'm away."

Hank's eyebrows raised in confusion. "Gavin?" he wondered quietly.

Connor turned to Hank and shrugged. "Nines' bed mate."

_ "Bed mate?" _Nines sputtered. "He's my... my-" The words died in his throat as he shook his head. "He's more than that, but that isn't important. I'm almost completely certain King Elijah is spying on me." Connor and Hank shared a startled look at the last part. 

"That's a hefty accusation, Nines," Connor said slowly, nerves leaking into his shoulders.

"I am aware." Nines crossed his arms as he continued. "I've been on the wrong end of weapons too many times to be too cautious."

"Hmmmm. Do you think Gavin is linked to this danger?" Hank asked slowly.

"I think Gavin is in more danger than me," the prince confessed. "I think Elijah is going to..."

Nines was interrupted as the door swung open loudly. Elijah walked in, a chilling smile on his face, though the smile quickly melted away to show a face of concern so fast, that to think it had ever shown anything but that expression would have been almost crazy. "Forgive me for the sudden reappearance, but the situation with my staff has...escalated," the Cyber king stated. "The member of my staff that had fallen ill earlier in the day has passed away, and another of my entourage has vanished. I cannot help but wonder if the two events are linked."

"You have my condolences.” Connor stood up with a severe look. “Do you think we should hold off on the meetings until this matter is sorted? I'm sure my guards would be more than willing to help you find your escaped staff member." Nines swallowed tightly, nerves churning. He didn't trust what Elijah was saying, but the terror of him going this far to scare both the prince and Gavin was unreal.

"I hope you would not object to cutting them back to a degree," Elijah offered in a tone that came across as frighteningly sincere. "As for my missing servant, or should I say slave, I would appreciate your soldiers bringing him back to me should he be found. I will hand down whatever punishment meets the involvement of the relevant individuals," he assured. "I request that he be brought back to me alive - it would be unfortunate should he resist and spook them into more drastic action. So long as he lives, however, I have no qualms about the force necessary."

Nines felt his eye twitch in frustration. He tossed a pleading look to Connor, one he hoped Elijah wouldn't see. He knew Elijah was talking about Gavin and he'd be damned if he let his own guards take his fiance back to the foreign king.

Connor nodded in agreement, missing Nines' silent plea. "We will call off the evening meetings then. Let’s go and have a discussion with my guard about your missing slave." He stood up and made his way to the door, Hank in tow.

The prince felt the nerves crawling up his throat; he had to say something. "Allow me to join in this. I feel it is my business as well as to what goes on in the castle." Not the best excuse, but it would work.

Elijah nodded and gave a tiny smirk, one that would go unmissed if someone did not know what to look for. "Of course, your own soldiers would be of great help in this hunt. In fact, some of them may have seen my slave - he has a habit of hiding in quieter corners and sticking to shadows. Perhaps he may have piqued their interest?"

Nines stared at Elijah's tiny smirk and he noted it gave him a vague sense of familiarity but he wiped the thought away, thinking it to be absurd. "We'll soon find out, King Elijah." The small group started to make their way towards the guards' quarters with Nines was bringing up the rear of the group. His eye hadn't stopped twitching and he was getting the beginnings of a migraine. Nines just couldn't come up with a decent plan to convince them to not have the guards to go looking for Gavin, he felt helpless.

Connor led them through the last door to the armory. "Who did you say this slave was?" he stated while waiting for the others to follow.

"His name is Gavin, I'm sure you've seen him around. Officially he is my personal groom, but he is prone to slacking somewhat on the job," Elijah replied charmingly. "Has a very distinctive scar on his nose, he wouldn't be too difficult to spot. He's also rather clumsy and is sporting a rather sizable bruise on his chin, though it boggles the mind how he managed that one," Elijah finished, keeping half an eye on Nines' reactions.

Nines had to count his breathing to keep himself from charging and attempting to rip Elijah's throat out. Connor's gaze followed Elijah's and saw that Nines was straight up twitching. He turned back just as quickly to Elijah. "You don't say? Sounds like you're going to need a replacement soon."

"Despite all of that, he does have his uses. Gavin is an excellent provider of stress relief, I must say - not to mention that it is so difficult to find people who fit all the demands of his position. He may have his shortcomings, but his uses far outweigh them," Elijah chuckled. Nines was so angry at the nerve of that statement, his fists clenched so hard he was sure he was going to draw blood from his fingernails. His vision was starting to fade in and out from the stress.

"That's good to hear," Connor nodded, his attention keel on Elijah, "and I understand. I couldn't imagine replacing my personal groom either."

"I do not wish to believe that he has a hand in this, but I would feel much better if he was back under my watchful eye. I have many tools at my disposal which could be helpful in getting him to talk," Elijah added lightly.

Connor opened his mouth to reply, but he was interrupted by the sound of a loud thud. "Oh, fuck," Connor muttered as he ran up to Nines side and quickly checked him out. "He fainted."

"Here, let me help," Elijah offered with a knowing smile. "If the Prince's health is suffering, we should get him to a physician straight away. Which way can we find help?"

The king looked up at Elijah first and then to Hank. "Get Captain Allen and Rose as soon as possible," he commanded.

"Of course." Hank bowed and then took off toward the other end of the hallway. 

"Don't worry too much. He does this every once in a while," Connor said as he made sure Nines was in a safe position, checking gently for any other obvious injuries.

That caught Elijah's interest. "Oh? Prince Richard is prone to fainting? What an unfortunate recurring issue."

Connor hesitated for a moment before going on. "Yeah, he's known to have a few health issues. Nothing too serious or something to worry about."

"That must make life stressful, given that Prince Richard is your heir," Elijah noted. "Still, at least it is nothing serious. Can I take it that this has led to his absence from the talks?" he led on, wondering as to what Connor would respond with.

"As far as I'm aware," Connor nodded.

"Prince Nines," the soft voice of Rose called out. She was carrying a small bucket of water and a rag with Hank and Allen, Nines' personal guard, not far behind her. "If you would please excuse me, Your Majesties," Rose said as she sat down next to Nines.

Elijah nodded and turned to Connor. "Shall we continue on to discuss how to find my wayward slave, or do you wish to wait until the Prince returns to better health?" he continued. From her position next to Nines, Rose's ears perked up.

Connor looked at his brother, who had been transferred to Rose's lap. "Just a moment," he replied absently as Rose felt dread crawl through her stomach. Elijah was looking for Gavin and Nines was unconscious. That did not bode well. She swallowed as she put the cool, wet rag on Nines' head.

It woke him up gradually. His eyes blinked open slowly as he messily pressed the palm of his hand into his eye, before he looked up to Rose and smiled. "Hey, Mum," he murmured.

Rose did her damnedest not to blush and wasn't sure she'd succeeded as she raised her head to look at the others. "This is common when he has suddenly fainted," she tried to explain before turning her attention back to Nines. "Prince Nines, you collapsed in the hallway. What happened to you in the lead up to it, do you remember?" she asked him slowly.

Nines rolled his head to the side and looked around. "I'm on the floor," he observed. He couldn't quite remember how he ended up fainting but he was fine with that at the moment. Right then he wasn't quite listening to Rose.

Squirming at how Elijah was eyeing Nines' every reaction, Rose braced herself before pinching Nines' ear hard. "Prince Nines!" she shouted, trying to get his attention. This was sadly not the time and place to let Nines come back to himself slowly.

He jerked and his hand traveled to his ear. "What the fuck?" he hissed out, scandalised. Then everything slammed back into place, the pain cutting through the fog. He glanced around and noticed the small crowd around him and then registered the piercing pain in his head, covering his eyes. "Migraine," he mumbled.

Turning her attention to Allen, Rose nodded to him. "We need to get the prince back to his chambers immediately. He needs to rest and recover," she stated, relieved that Allen would do as she asked.

Allen nodded in reply. "Of course," he said, bending down to gather Nines back to his feet. Rose's stomach turned at the thought of Nines potentially realising that Gavin was gone, but that was something that the prince was going to have to confront sooner rather than later. The note and dagger were maybe too much for him right now...

Nines regained his feet, looking at Connor and Elijah as he gave a small bow. "I apologise for the scare, I'm going to take my leave now," the words were quiet and he had to force him out. He gestured to Allen for a little help, to which the guard obliged. "Let's go." Allen slipped Nines' arm around his shoulders and grasped the prince's waist, Rose supporting his other shoulder as they prepared to escort him back to the nearby rooms; but not before Elijah got one last comment in. 

"I hope you feel better soon, Prince Richard, and I look forward to seeing you again soon - with any luck, this crisis with my slave will have already been resolved and he will no longer be your concern," he smiled a little too cheerily.

Rose had to bite back on the urge to spit in the man's face. Nines sighed as he continued walking, he didn't have the energy. He was still livid, but he couldn't give himself away anymore. "I think you know the truth behind that, Your Highness," he replied coolly, then they were on their way, getting far away from the pair of Kings.

Allen looked at the prince in concern. "Nines, should I return to assist with the issue with King Elijah's slave? Hank briefed me on the way over and I believe I should be involved in the hunt." Rose visibly flinched and leaned into Nines a little more. Nines signed, but didn't say anything until they were in his room a few moments later. 

As soon as the door clicked shut, he looked at Allen seriously. "Do you trust me?" he asked tightly.

Raising an eyebrow, the guard nodded at him. "You know I do," Allen replied seriously. Off to the side, Rose subtly shifted the dagger and note so that they weren't in plain sight.

"Then you can trust me when I say, 'no.'" Nines looked at Allen desperately. "Fletcher, please, we need to make sure Elijah does **not** find Gavin. I-I can't bear what could happen to him if he does."

Staring at Nines curiously, Allen then looked at Rose who nodded. As he turned back to Nines, Allen paid attention. "You sound like you are heavily involved in this situation," the guard ventured.

Nines swallowed and decided to bite the bullet. "Considering that I have fallen in love with Gavin, I would say so."

Allen narrowed his eyes at Nines. "Explain how this happened. Leave nothing out," he stated coldly.

The prince gestured to his couch. "It's a bit of a tale. Why don't we take a seat?" He dove into the story from when they met at the painting to when he saw Gavin earlier this day. Trying his best to gloss over the sex details and the like. Allen listened silently, only making a few faces in reaction to some parts here and there. Nines sighed, deflating as he finally reached the end. "That about sums it up."

It took a few seconds for Allen to digest it all. “This seems... far fetched and impossible. It’s difficult to believe,” he said quietly.

Having anticipated that reaction, Rose teared up a little as she grabbed the dagger and note from that morning, approaching Nines with them. “This...might help convince you,” she said to Allen, before turning to Nines and gesturing for him to look at the objects. “Nines, I am so sorry,” she said tearfully.

Nines read the messages on the dagger and felt his headache flare. The words 'lost prince' set him off, but he could ask about how the fuck Cecil came up later. There was a more pressing threat. "They know about the secret passages."

Rose nodded, deeply upset. “Gavin wanted some time alone, so I went to finish my morning rounds. By the time I’d come back, he’s gone and left that note for you. He’s so fragile, I don’t know how he managed to open the passages and leave - but he did. My only guess is that he’s gone back to King Elijah’s wing to try and protect you,” she offered as Nines read the note. Allen’s expression was dark as he processed all the information.

"They're gonna kill him," Nines ground out, standing up fast enough to make his head swim. "We have to get out of here. We have to find him. _ Oh, fuck. _ I don't even know where we would be safe." Panic was crawling up his throat, he should have known they were being watched. He should have noticed, he was fucking trained for this shit. Where had he gone wrong?

Seeing that Nines was on the verge of breaking down again, Rose rushed over and hugged him. “Please, Nines, you have to calm down. Gavin is smart, he’ll keep his head down as best he can, but how did this happen? What did Elijah say to cause this?”

Allen stood from the sofa and started analysing the room, looking for places where the dagger could have come in from: the prince was clearly not secure and that needed remedied. Nines took a deep breath and decided it was time for his soldier training to come out. "Elijah stated that one of his servants had fallen ill and passed away. He blamed this transgression on Gavin, requesting that Connor have the guards help find him. Elijah also purposely used language that would get under my skin without detection. This is why I fainted on top of already forming stress migraine. It's getting out of hand and needs to be taken care of as soon as possible."

“See if I knew how to sharpen a mop into a weapon,” Rose growled angrily. “He’s a snake.”

Spying where the dagger had come in through the window, Allen turned his attention to Nines again. “It seems that the weapon was thrown through the window and the timing cannot be coincidental. It seems like King Elijah may be conspiring to keep you both apart.” He then returned to Rose and Nines. “Please run me through all of his injuries, so that if I come across him I can know which ones are preexisting and which are new.”

"You may need to write this down," Nines sighed. "He has a gash on his arm that's a few days old. Bruises on his chin, left bicep, and his lower abdomen. An older stitched wound on his chest along with the horrible gash on his back. And lastly, Elijah's kingdom's brand carved into his peck."

Allen’s eyes softened. “You were quite serious in saying that Gavin has been tortured, that list is extensive.”

From the side, Rose cleared her throat pointedly. “Haven’t you missed something, Prince Nines?” she prompted, sighing internally when he just blinked. “A few extra marks that you put on his skin yourself...?” she tried again with a raised eyebrow.

Nines felt his face go bright red as he stared at the pair. He put his hand over his face and whispered behind it. "He may also have a collection of love bites." He kind of wanted the world to swallow him whole.

Contrary to what Nines may have expected, Allen just smiled. “Well that isn’t quite so unusual for two people in love, especially when they have been intimate.” Turning to take one last cursory sweep around the room, Allen nodded at Nines. “I will find him, you have my word. With your permission, I will instate higher security around your chambers to prevent any suspected attack, and confirm to Hank myself that I believe you are under threat. Is the King aware of your relationship with Gavin?”

"He is and I still think he's taking Elijah's side on the matter," Nines let out a sad, bitter laugh. "He thinks I'm an idiot. I mean I don't necessarily blame him. But at the same time, he just won't listen to me."

Allen’s eyes fell upon the dagger and note, a bit of sadness in his own eyes. “They are pretty undeniable evidence. Should I present them to Connor as proof?”

Rose looked reticent. “I’m not sure that would be wise for King Connor’s mental state right now, given who it alludes to...”

"I agree, Connor wouldn't handle that well. He has to keep his wits about him. He can't protect himself like I can.” Nines swallowed and turned to Rose. "Did you tell Gavin about Cecil?" It felt strange to talk about his late brother, considering he'd avoided the topic for so long… and that Allen was present as well.

Her eyes fell to the ground. “I-I did. He made the connection that there was a third brother from you saying that the Queen had twins. After he realised, I felt I couldn’t not tell him. I’m sorry.”

"No, that's fine. It's been over eight years." Nines felt his eyes gloss over a bit. "I've pretty much finished my mourning. I mean I fought a war over him. There's not much else I can do beyond that."

“With any luck, the war will be over soon,” Allen noted, “but this development has me greatly concerned. Perhaps you should take your leave of the castle until the talks are over, for your safety. If you believe you are a target, we must take care.”

"I completely agree," Nines nodded but crossed his arms firmly, "but I'm not leaving without Gavin." He wouldn't budge on this. He _ couldn't . _

Allen frowned. “Nines, from what we’ve seen King Elijah’s people have already breached the security around you. You aren’t safe here.”

"I know," Nines said simply, "but I'm still not leaving without Gavin. I know almost certainly that if I leave without him Elijah will do something drastic to him to try to draw me back to the castle. If he's with me that possibility is eliminated; if we work quickly he shouldn't be that hard to find. We need to get him safe first and foremost."

Rose thought of something and piped up. "If Gavin's done as he said he would in that note, then that means none of Connor's guards will find him. They're looking for someone outside of King Elijah's wing, not already inside it. That gives us a chance to find him first."

Allen hummed in thought. "I could go across and state that I am doing a secondary sweep of the rooms after the servant's death, looking for potential threats to both the Kings. That might get me inside."

Nines hummed in agreement. "That sounds like a plan. Should worse comes to worse, there are a few secret passages that go that way." He turned to Rose. "Can I convince you to stay near a guard until this is all sorted? I don't want you to be at risk either."

Rose nodded. “I will, though I doubt I am of any significance here.”

Allen quickly looked outside. “If we are to do this without arousing suspicion from Connor, I need to move out now - before I clash with his own search parties.”

"I understand." Nines nodded. He put a comforting hand on Allen's shoulder. "Thank you. I know this conversation may not have been the most pleasant for you either." Nines then pulled away and nodded. "Good luck."

With a final bow, Allen took his leave. Once he was gone, Rose came closer and drew Nines into a hug. “I know you need this right now,” she whispered softly. “We’ll find him and make sure he’s safe, I promise.”

"I can always go for a hug." Nines returned the hug with great force. "I know, but it still doesn't stop me from worrying, but do you think I could get away with killing Elijah yet?"

“You might find him with a few needles stabbed in him first. Eyes, mouth, nose. And maybe a giant knitting needle shoved where the sun doesn’t shine,” she smiled menacingly. "Might even find some yarn to dangle from the end too...”

Nines let out a startled laugh. "That is an image I didn't need." He pulled back and shook his head. "We need to go somewhere more secure. Ready to head out?"

A nod from Rose and they were heading to one of the secret castle safe rooms.


	20. Breaking Point

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> **Trigger Warning**: This chapter is **brutal**. Please be aware at some of the tags relating to torture are not a joke - some of the events here are not for the faint of heart. 
> 
> If you don't want to read that section, you can skip forward to the chapter break. It'll be pretty obvious when the intensity is ramping up.

Despite knowing that he was going to be fine, Gavin had been reluctant to leave Rupert’s side. His suffering was Gavin’s fault after all - Rupert has helped him (more than once) and now was being punished.  Keeping a vigil over him, Gavin felt bad in that his thoughts kept drifting back to Nines. He couldn’t help but wonder if his prince was all right, or if Elijah had targeted him while Gavin was on this side of the castle. Gavin wanted so badly to see him again, but that really didn’t seem to be an option. 

“Gavin!” He turned at Chloe’s shout and was worried by the slightly frantic look in her eyes. “King Connor’s guards are looking for you!” 

He paled. “What the- What for?” 

“Elijah’s told them that Rupert has died and you’ve gone missing in connection with it - the entire castle has patrols!” 

“Shit...” Gavin realised all too fast what it meant. “I can’t leave then. Even when I’ve recovered I won’t be able to move without being caught. Bastard!” he swore. 

Chloe knelt next to him. “Gavin, you need to hide. There are secret rooms that I’ve found in even this wing of the castle - going in there will keep you safe for a little while longer.” 

A snort escaped him. “You know that won’t exactly-” 

They were interrupted by a shout from the main door to the wing.  "This is Captain Allen. I am here by the order of His Majesty King Connor. Please allow me entry," Allen said in a commanding tone. He knew this wasn't the best course of action, but he needed in this wing. He had an obligation to find Gavin and he wasn't going to fail, though he hoped he hadn't caused the Nines' fiancé to flee with his efforts.

Gavin’s eyes widened. “Shit, King Connor’s guards are here?! Fuck!” he whispered. 

Chloe helped to drag Gavin to his feet and pushed him towards one of the back rooms. Once inside, she shifted a curtain to reveal a small seam and pushed to open a hidden door to a small safe room. “Stay there! I’ll get you out once they’ve gone!”  Left with no other choice, Gavin nodded and let Chloe seal the chamber back up, shifting the curtain to hide him. 

With Gavin safely hidden, Chloe ran for the main door and took a deep breath before opening it. “Good evening, sir knight. Can ask as to the issue?” she greeted him pleasantly.

Allen was relieved as he took a step in and closed the door behind him. "Good evening. I need..." Allen started, but quickly noticed the ill man in the room. "Who's this?" He walked over to investigate and after a quick check confirmed that the man was, as a matter of fact, alive.

Panicking as she didn’t think any of Connor’s soldiers would believe Rupert’s true identity (because who would believe the word of a servant over a king), Chloe improvised. “One of our servants. He fell ill last night and is still very poorly now; as you can see. We’ve been doing our best to care for him but King Elijah has kept him here for fear of something spreading. The last thing needed is for an illness to strike the peace talks,” she lied smoothly.

He had the vague feeling that Chloe lying, but Allen didn't have time for her. "As long as he will be okay for ten minutes, I need you to leave. Now." Allen didn't know who he could trust from Elijah's kingdom, so she couldn't know the truth behind him finding Gavin.

Tremendously nervous, Chloe nodded but then noticed the crest on Allen’s forearm - he was one of Nines’ men. She was so tempted to ask Allen if he knew about Nines and Gavin but it was too high a risk. She instead nodded and left to wait outside.  Allen let out a breath as she exited. He then turned to the room and noted where all the secret rooms were. "Gavin? I know you're in here. I promise I'm not actually here for King Connor. I'm trying to find you for Prince Nines. You're in danger and I gave him my word to get you to safety," Allen called out. He really hoped he wouldn't have to drag him out.

Gavin’s eyes widened at the voice, vaguely recognising it from the snippets he’d heard within Nines’ room. Had Nines really figured out what Elijah was up to and sent someone here for him? Knowing that he’d be too weak to open up the false door, Gavin knocked on the wall instead to let Allen know where he was.  Allen's eyes widened at the sound, turning to where it was coming from and twigged which false wall Gavin was hiding behind. He opened it and had to basically catch the man that fell out. "Gavin? Are you alright?" he asked warily.

A cynical laugh tumbled out of Gavin. “Not really...” he sighed and fought to get his legs back underneath him properly before looking at Allen. “You’re Nines’ personal guard: I’ve heard your voice before. He sent you here?” he asked quietly.

Allen helped Gavin by supporting his weight. "I'm actually the head of his guard. Prince Nines is his own personal guard, he can best every single guard in this castle," Allen laughed softly. "He did send me to find you, though. You two are in danger and we are doing our best to get you to safety outside the castle. I will not let any more harm come to either of you. We need to get out of here as soon as possible."

Gavin put a hand on Allen’s shoulder. “No, you can’t- Not me,” he stressed. “I don’t know why but Elijah’s been watching my every move. If I leave now, there’s no guarantee that he won’t still find me somehow. I can’t risk Nines like that, I won’t. Please, just get him to safety.”

"You two are a pair of stubborn assholes." Allen sighed in frustration. "Well, Prince Nines is downright refusing to leave the castle without you. So, if you want him out you're coming too."

Running it through in his head, Gavin eventually sighed. “I can’t, not until I know who it is that’s keeping eyes on me,” he said reluctantly. “If we don’t know who to be wary of, we can trust almost no-one. We need to know who the threat is.”

Allen nodded in agreement. "Leave the threat handling to me, I know this castle better than anyone." To prove his point he pushed open a secret hallway only a few stones along from where Gavin had been hiding in the wall. "You just need to do as I say and get out of this castle with Prince Nines, even if someone follows you, you have a better chance of surviving out there than in here."

Before Gavin could even think of how to respond, Chloe burst back in through the door. She quickly realised that Allen and Gavin were discussing something and grew pale. "Gavin! Elijah's coming!" she hissed through the space. "You've got to hide the prince's guard, he'll make the same connection I did if he sees the crest!" 

As she dove back out the door and went to 'tend to Rupert', Gavin froze on the spot. "Fuck..." He then turned to Allen and shoved at him. "Get inside that wall! Chloe's right, once Elijah realises who you are he won't hesitate to kill you and pin it on me!  _ Go!" _

Allen blinked and processed the information. It was odd all things considered, because technically Gavin was one of his Lords now given his connection to Nines. "Okay, Sir Gavin." He replied mechanically as he dove into the hidden hall and closed it behind him. Allen then found a peek hole and settled in, unwilling to simply leave down the passage behind him. 

Blinking in complete surprise at Allen's response, Gavin almost didn't twig when the door opened to his side but he couldn't miss the voice which came through the empty space only a few seconds after Allen had vanished.  "It wasn't so hard to flush you out after all," Elijah sneered with a malicious smile. "All I had to do was threaten your precious Prince - and you know my patience won't last much longer. Have you given any more thought as to my offer?" 

"You can get fucked, Elijah, I'm not helping you get to him," Gavin spat back. "They're onto you now, you'll not get close enough to Nines to start anything." 

Elijah smirked. " _ I  _ don't need to. I have plenty of eyes who could do it for me, and I'm sure by now you've realised the increased patrols around the castle. You won't be there to get in the way or provide any more distractions after today." 

Gavin was hyper aware of just how true that was and was suddenly  _ very  _ aware of Allen in the wall. If Elijah found him, he really wouldn't hesitate to spill blood. Knowing there would be an easy way to keep Elijah occupied - even if he was really going to pay for it - Gavin reached for a nearby candlestick and hurled it at Elijah. "Like fuck will I let you do that so easy!" 

Shifting before the projectile even got close, Elijah barked out a laugh. "So even now, barely standing and crippled, you still have some fight in you? This is going to be more of a chore than I thought - although I can't deny the appeal of trying to make you  _ break _ ."  In his weakened state, Gavin couldn't really move out of the way when Elijah hurtled a book right at him and it struck Gavin square in the chest. The sharp corners caused him to double over in pain, but Elijah then closed the distance and slammed Gavin's head right down on his knee. Gavin fell to the floor on his back, badly dazed and breathless from the rush of pain.

Before Gavin recovered, Elijah stomped down on his shoulder and revelled when Gavin screamed. He'd purposefully picked the shoulder which was still in pieces on the other side and twisted his boot just to really dial up the pain. "Chloe?" Elijah called nonchalantly, not taking his eyes off Gavin. He still heard when she opened the door though. "Be a darling and bring me a bucket of water, would you?" 

Gavin's eyes widened and he looked at Chloe in terror, but they'd agreed a long time ago that she should never disobey Elijah in one of these sessions. She was safe as long as she did what he said. Even as her eyes shadowed in guilt and horror, Gavin kept his focus on her - telling her to do it.  She disappeared back out the door and Elijah smirked down at Gavin. "I wonder how long you can hold your breath like this?" he asked menacingly.

Allen watched the exchange in horror. He'd never doubted what the prince had said but the reality of it still struck him dumb. The matter of protecting the pair became more and more pressing. He hated that he couldn't do anything, but Gavin was correct: he was no match for the visiting king. Allen couldn't take watching such horrors, he needed to get someone here and needed to intervene. With a look down the hallway he started to calculate how long it would take to get another few guards here. After a few more moments of hesitation, he took off towards where he could get back up. This wasn't just a security concern, this was a red alert.

Chloe reappeared after a few minutes and placed the bucket down next to Elijah before attempting to make a hasty retreat.  Elijah snared her chin in a firm yet unthreatening grip and placed a soft kiss on her lips before she got that far. "Thank you, Chloe. Keep an eye out for any unexpected company and deflect them if they appear - I could be some time." 

That made her stomach sour and Chloe nodded sharply. "Of course, Elijah," she spoke back as evenly as she could, even if she knew what was about to happen was going to be horrific. 

Once she was gone, Elijah's smirk grew colder and he pulled his foot back to slam the heel in Gavin's abdomen.  While Gavin had been mildly breathless before, that completely winded him and he feebly tried to curl up to shield himself.  Elijah grabbed Gavin's hair and snapped the servant's head up viciously. "Let's get one thing straight here, Gavin," he spat. "I own you, not that  **prince** that you've been whoring yourself out to. Now, you're going to do as I say or see if you can figure out how to breathe underwater. I hope you'll have an answer for me if you come back up." 

Before he got the chance to get his breath back, Gavin's head was slammed underwater and held there, even as he tried to thrash against Elijah to get some air.

Just as Gavin was starting to black out and go limp, he was pulled back out from the bucket and weakly dragged in breaths as Elijah hissed in his ear again, shoving a dagger in front of his face. "This is how you end it, Gavin," Elijah hissed temptingly. "Take this, become my assassin, and it'll all stop." He placed the knife down on the floor next to them, making sure Gavin knew where it was. 

"Get fucked," he spat, knowing he would never betray Nines. 

"Have it your way," Elijah snarled before shoving him back under again. 

Gavin struggled feebly with all his injuries but it took barely fifteen seconds before he started going limp.  The king lifted him for a few seconds again, only long enough for Gavin to grab a few mouthfuls of air before slamming him back down.  When it got to the end of the fifth cycle and Elijah was beginning to seriously wonder if he needed another plan, Gavin's hand blindly grabbed for the dagger and took a hold of the handle.

Smirking, Elijah pulled him free of the bucket and let him drop to the floor.  Gavin coughed up water and heaved violently as Elijah crouched next to him. 

"A good choice, Gavin. Now comes the fun bit: you've got until sunset tomorrow to find a way to assassinate the Prince. I'll call off the hunt for you so that you can move freely around the castle again and find your 'beloved'. The rest is up to you. If you fail, either way, you'll die - either by my hand or his. Succeed...and we'll see what happens." With one last pointed look at the broken man on the floor, Elijah smiled. "Tomorrow this ends." He then left without looking back.

Further inside the castle, Allen actually managed to find Hank relatively quickly. "Hank!" He called out causing the other guard to freeze and turn around. 

"Fletcher? What's got you all tore up?" the older man asked in concern

Allen took a deep breath before he answered. "Prince Nines is in danger." 

Hank's eyes widened. "It's that fucking slave on the lose, isn't it? Still pissed we can't find him," he snarled in reply.

That froze Allen on the spot. "No, quite the opposite. King Elijah is conspiring against both Nines and Connor," he stated as he shook his head. "The slave, Gavin, is a, uh, consort of Nines' as of recent and is being used as bait. We need to find Gavin and not to turn him into Elijah or Connor, but to get him to Nines," his tone was a bit frantic, but he didn't care. He was shaken after what little he'd seen, let alone what had threatened to happen. 

Hank blinked at the response. "What the fuck is wrong with you? If there's anything that years in this castle should have taught you, it's that Nines is a too trusting. We're going to find the slave but I'm not helping you get the rest of the royals killed." 

Allen couldn't believe what he had just heard. "You really don't believe me? Even though I've seen what Elijah can do with his own two hands?" He took a few steps back and started towards the hallway again with a furious expression. "If anything happens to them don't say I didn't try to warn you!" Then he was gone, hoping he wasn't going to be too late.

* * *

"I need to get my soldier gear," Nines mused as he paced around the small safe room he had taken Rose to. "I'm not willing to sit back and wait for everyone else to protect me or Gavin. Why can't I be like the princes in the stories and save him myself? I hate waiting." He really did. Nines just wanted to find Gavin, hold him close and get him as far away from here as possible.

Rose watched Nines pace and gave him a knowing smile. "You've always been one for jumping into the fray but this is one time I'm afraid you'll  **have** to sit back and wait, I'm afraid. If King Elijah is as fearsome as he seems, we are better taking care. Allen will find him, he's the second best guard in the castle after Hank."

Nines huffed as he sat down. "That's not necessarily comforting considering I've bested both Hank and Fletcher in combat. More than once at that." He looked at Rose seriously as something occurred to him. "Do you think I should formally challenge King Elijah to a duel?"

She looked at him in surprise. "Why-why would you?" she whispered, a little fearfully. "For Gavin?"

"For him, of course; but for my people as well. He wants to drag out this war and I refuse to let that happen." Nines ran a hand down his face. "At least that way he'd have to own up to wanting to kill me."

“I’m not going to lie, the idea of you duelling him is more than a little terrifying with all that we know he’s done and is capable of,” she whispered. “Not only that, but would Connor try and stop you? I know the rules of engagement state that a duel cannot be stopped once started, but I don’t know if he’d try and put a halt to it before you even managed to draw your sword.”

"Connor has never stopped me before, and honestly? He's been a little bit of a coward through this whole fiasco," Nines stated bluntly as he stood back up again. "I love my brother but he doesn't like for me to do anything on my own. He's..." The sound of the door opening stopped the conversation in its tracks. Allen was carrying a very fragile looking Gavin. Nines rushed to their side. "Oh, thank God we’ve found you..."

Gavin was all but catatonic, eyes not making contact with anyone as he was lost inside his own head. He couldn’t stop everything spinning - in a panic he’d taken that damn dagger, and he now couldn’t look at Nines out of shame. Now he had to try and come up with a plan to protect Nines. 

Allen sighed and offered the other man to Nines. “He’s been badly tortured. King Elijah kept him underwater from my best guess - Gavin hasn’t said a word or responded in any way. I don’t know if he’s truly aware of anything or anyone around him.” He then turned to Rose sombrely. “He needs a change of clothes or he is going to freeze from being so wet, and his wounds will need to be redressed. The King was...vicious, we should have him examined fully.”

Nines reached out and gently took Gavin from Allen's arms. "Hey, love. Let's get you warmed up and cleaned up. Okay?" He kissed Gavin's forehead gently as he turned to Rose and Allen. "I'm taking him to my spare room. Bring the castle doctor there. If the doctor refuses to not say anything to Connor, I'll take care of him myself. Is that understood?" He hated sounding like he the soldier he was trained to be, but sometimes relying on training wasn't the worst thing he could do.

Allen nodded while Rose stood and gave a smile. “I’ll go with Allen as far as the kitchen and get something for him to eat, some soup or something will do him a world of good.”  The group of them left without any fanfare and Gavin didn’t so much as stir in Nines’ arms. He just kept staring out sightless, feeling utterly hopeless and...  _ Done.  _ He was  _ done. _

"You're okay, now I got you," Nines whispered as he felt worry grip at his heart. He didn't hesitate as he started to make his way towards his spare bedroom; he had to find a way of bringing Gavin back to him.  The bedroom was off the secret hallway and hidden on the edge of the guest wing. He took Gavin to the bathroom and gently laid him down, only leaving to grab Gavin some dry clothes.  "Hey, Gav," Nines started as he sat down next to his fiance. "I've got you; you're safe now. We're going to get you dried off and cleaned up now. You okay with that?"

Gavin was vaguely aware of Nines’ voice but he couldn’t take it in, not with everything spiralling round his head. He had to find some way,  _ any  _ way, of saving his prince. And until he did, he didn’t know how he could look at Nines. The shame of giving in to Elijah was eating him alive.

Nines didn't have time to wait for Gavin to come back to himself. He had to get to work in getting him cleaned up. He mechanically started to strip the other and wrapped him up in a towel. 

He noticed with disdain that Gavin's shoulder was fucked again. He looked around and found a first aid kit and moved to take care of that. Gavin barely reacted through the whole process.  Nines wanted to vomit as the nerves started to crawl up his throat when Gavin didn't so much as flinch, barely blinking. He dressed Gavin in dry clothes and wrapped him up in his arms. "Gavin,  _ please.  _ I know you can hear me.  _ Please, _ tell me you’re okay."

Part of Gavin wanted to say something or even look at Nines but he couldn’t. He just... _ couldn’t.  _ Gavin didn’t know what to do, how he could fix anything... He despised himself for how he’d caused Nines so much trouble. That’s all he ever was - a nuisance and more trouble than he was worth. Now more than ever he was acutely aware of that: and he needed to fix it.

Nines nodded in disappointment and swallowed around the lump in his throat. "Come on, let's get you in bed. Some rest would be good for you. Rose is even bringing you some food soon." He reached out and scooped Gavin, taking him to the bed. Nines laid him down and wrapped him up in the blankets, hoping Gavin would get some sleep and feel better when he woke again.

Rose came back in a few minutes later, carrying a tray of some hot soup and fresh bread rolls that she’d managed to claim from the kitchen. She placed it down in the main room and then headed through to the bedroom, hoping to find Nines and Gavin there. She wasn’t braced for Nines’ stricken expression as he looked at Gavin. “He’s strong, Prince Nines. He’ll return to us soon,” she assured him.

Nines shook his head sharply while standing. "Stay with him. I'm going to get ready for us to leave, we're not staying here anymore. We'll ride to the safe house on the edge of the capital city." Nines didn't wait for a response as he started out of the safe room. He was a soldier, it was about damned time he started acting like one.

She watched him go with a concerned look, hoping that Nines wasn’t making a mistake in going out there alone.  After he’d left, she went back through to the main room to have a look through the bookshelf for something to read for a few minutes, needing to steady herself. 

Barely a minute after she’d been there, she heard a strange noise from the main door. Heart pounding at the scraping and clicking, she realised in horror that someone was trying to pick the lock. 

Thinking quickly, she opened the secret passage that connected to the kitchen and closed it quietly behind her, looking through the peephole for who their mysterious follower was. She watched in horror as she saw it was none other than King Elijah himself, dagger drawn and eyes narrowed as if looking for someone. That was all she needed to see and tore down the passage as quietly as she could, looking for help. 

Was there anywhere safe from that madman?

Nines made it to the armoury without hassle, which he was thankful for. He made quick work of his soldier gear and a few extra pieces of light armour. Trying to prepare for any eventuality, he even saddled up his horse and filled a couple saddle bags. Nines wasn't fucking around anymore, he was getting out the castle.

No monster of a king was going to stop him either. He had a soon-to-be prince to save.


	21. The Traitor's Choice

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> **Skye: So, we've finally come to the scene that inspired this whole fic. I'm not going to say much now as that would be, you know **_spoilers****_** but everything has been building up to this moment. Hold onto your butts, peeps. This is going to get **rough.
> 
> **Trigger warning**: Graphic gore and a lot angst ahead. Tread carefully here!

Elijah made one cursory sweep of the room and found the passage which led to the concealed bedroom. Once he was there, he smirked at finding the catatonic Gavin - the other man had done this before.  Elijah knew that Gavin was still there, he just needed a trigger. Running the blade down Gavin’s forearm and dragging out a thin red line, he smiled menacingly when Gavin finally turned to look at him. 

“Good boy,” he praised. “The prince will be back momentarily, and this seems like the perfect opportunity. Do not let me down, or you know that only death awaits you.” 

Gavin watched as Elijah slid the dagger into his own hand instead, twigging that it was Elijah’s personal one. Standing up again, Elijah smiled a little softer. “Perhaps you are not just a mistake after all - you might end up becoming my greatest achievement. Only time will tell. Goodbye, Gavin.” He expected Gavin to fail, how could he not with all of those injuries? But the intent was there and this would destroy the prince.  Whether Nines died now or not, Elijah would get his wish for the war to restart once they made the connection between the prince’s would-be-assassin and his kingdom. 

Elijah left seconds later, and Gavin could only frantically think. How could he stop this? How could Gavin protect Nines? 

And then it hit him - Elijah said goodbye, he wasn’t expecting Gavin to come back. Maybe he was on to something... 

He realised that maybe he could save Nines and expose Elijah’s scheme, but it was going to be messy. In fact, it would destroy everything between them. Maybe that was for the best anyway.  Nines would grieve less if he thought that Gavin had been playing him all along, rather than feeling guilt for failing to save him after all this. 

Gavin knew he wasn’t getting his happy ending now - all he could do was try and make sure other people did instead. He stood from the bed and flipped the dagger up to partially conceal it. Nines would hate him forever for this...but if it did the job and exposed Elijah, it would be worth it.

* * *

Once Nines had finished preparing for leaving the castle, he was swiftly making his way back to the spare bedroom. He hoped Gavin was rested enough for a horse ride, because that was their only option at this point. Nines slipped into the room and noticed that neither Rose nor Allen were there. That would make leaving easier. He wasn't the best at goodbyes anyway, his track record had plenty of proof of that. Nines sat down on the edge of the bed, noticing that Gavin hadn't moved much. 

He leaned in and pressed a soft kiss to his smaller lover's cheek. "Hey, Gav. We've got to go now. Come on."

Gavin’s heart hurt and he wanted nothing more than to simply go with Nines - but if there was anything he’d learned that night, it was that there was no escaping Elijah. The King would never stop hunting them and he wouldn’t put Nines in that danger. 

The crippled slave willed his body to obey and struggled upright. Stepping away from Nines and coming to a stop a few steps away, Gavin steeled himself as best he could. This was going to break both of them, but Gavin couldn't see another way now. “Why, Nines? Why would you leave all this behind for me?” he asked a little darkly, making sure to lower the handle of the dagger enough that Nines could see it. He  _ needed  _ Nines to see it and jump to the wrong conclusions, because he couldn’t lie to his prince. Not now, not ever.

Nines felt his eyes widen as his vision zeroed in on the dagger. An assassin's blade: he knew the type, has seen it before. He felt a completely different sort of panic crawl over his skin, so much so it made his fingers ache.  "I love you?" Nines said slowly, unsure of what was happening and not wanting to jump to conclusions. "I wasn't lying when I said I'd do anything for you. Come on, you know I hate it here."

A broke laugh escaped Gavin. “Expect I’m not someone you should ever have felt that way for, Nines. I’m from another kingdom, a kingdom you’re at war with no less.” He turned back to Nines and stared at him as blandly as he could even with his heart breaking. “You should know that not everything is as it seems,” he finished before stepping closer to Nines again and raising the dagger. It may not be pointed at him - he could never do that to Nines - but he hoped that supposed intent was clear enough.

The prince was paralysed by the horror and heartbreak that was coursing through him.  _ "**No**," _ he whispered and shook his head, his tone disbelieving, "This... This isn't...  _ Gavin?" _

“You should have known, Nines,” Gavin forced out in as level a voice as possible. “It was always too much of a fairytale. This is the harsh reality, and now this has to end.” He then dove for Nines as fast as he could, swinging the dagger wildly - it was going to miss, but not by much. Nines would probably move to defend himself.

Except Nines didn't move. He would feel the air off the swing if it continued; the prince swallowed down on the bile which was clawing up his throat and clenched his hands into fists to hide his shaking. Nines felt his heart shatter and he barely registered the tears as they started to fall down his face. He finally looked into the eyes of the man he was stupid enough to fall for.  _ "You lied to me?" _

Gavin stopped before he reached Nines and steadied his voice as much as he could. “I think you can see for yourself what’s going on here,” he dodged the question as best he could, his own heart screaming at Nines’ reaction. Gavin had to hold it together, he had to get Nines to snap.  “It wasn’t as if you didn’t make it all too easy for me to slip into your life with the way you chased me,” he hissed out, hating himself for how he was twisting the words. “Now you’ve got to deal with that. I never took you as one to give up and lie down, but I guess that fire was all for show!” He then changed the swing and came in from waist height, aiming for Nines’ stomach (supposedly). If it didn’t work this time, Gavin had no idea how to spin this again into something believable.

Nines was finally able to move at that more direct attack. He caught Gavin's wrist and squeezed sharply, th e dagger clattering to the floor. He shoved Gavin's arm to his chest and forced him backwards, causing him to crash to the floor. " _ You used me?"  _ Nines cried out, "You fucking used me, all this time..." He wiped at his face to clear some of the tears. "None of this was real?  _ None?" _

Gasping in pain as he was thrown, Gavin’s eyes locked on another dagger in Nines’ belt and he reached for it with his free hand as he struggled back to his feet, dragging it up between them. “What do you think?” he hissed out through the emotional and physical pain. “Is this not evidence enough for you?!” Fuck, he’d known he was weak but this was ridiculous. As Nines grasped for the blade and turned it back on him, Gavin knew that he couldn’t really fight. 

_ Please, Ni, just end this.  _ ** _Please!_ **

**_"_Answer me!" ** Nines thundered as he caught Gavin's wrists and his hands to hold them.  _ " _ Tell me! _ "  _ he insisted, quieter. "Tell me that from the first fucking time you kissed me in the garden to the first time we made love in my study to... the date to the tavern, to all the times I helped you, to the fact that you said you loved me and... To when promised to spend the rest of our lives together?  _ All of it?" _ His voice kept getting quieter and quieter as he kept talking. His heart was turning black every second that went on.

Gavin couldn’t keep it up. Watching Nines break apart in front of him...being betrayed by someone else would destroy him, and Gavin wouldn’t be responsible for that. He wouldn't be the one to obliterate the caring and wonderful soul in front of him: Nines deserved better than that, better than all of his.  A tear slipped down Gavin’s cheek as he smiled at Nines lovingly. “It was all true,” he admitted in a whisper. 

He then took advantage of Nines’ shock and seized control of their hands, switching the aim of the dagger to himself and plunging it into his stomach. Nines might have been braced for an attack against himself but he wasn't prepared for his supposed assassin to turn the target so fast. At least Gavin could still be the evidence they needed of Elijah’s plan. This would be worth it, it had to.

Nines watched in shock as Gavin crumbled his knees and then to the floor, his remaining strength fleeing him quickly. Blood was pouring from the fresh wound in his stomach. _"_Gavin?_" _Nines wheezed as he dropped to his knees. **_"_Gavin?" **he gasped as his trembling hands reached towards the smaller man.

Gavin laughed through a hacking cough. “It’s funny, I always thought this would hurt more than it does...if I’d known getting stabbed would be this painless, I’d have done it years ago,” he mused with a slightly delirious smile.  He turned to Nines again with a soft smile and reached out for him faintly. “I’m sorry, Ni...I thought...thought that if you believed it was all fake, it would...hurt less when I’m gone. I should have known it would be so much worse...” More tears slipped free. “I love you, Ni. I could never lie about something like that.”

The prince finally reached the wound and started to apply pressure in a desperate attempt to stop the bleeding. "No, _ no,  _ ** _no._ ** What?  _ Gavin? _ What's going on?" he pleaded brokenly.

“Elijah...he wants to kill you,” Gavin gasped out at the sudden pressure. “He wanted me to-to do it. He pushed me until I broke...At least this way, you have the proof you need to...to show Connor that Elijah’s not to be trusted.” He turned to look at the dagger which had been thrust away across the floor. “That blade has Elijah’s crest on it. Give it to Connor and...and you’ve now got your failed assassin. It’s all you need to-to show him up.” 

Just having enough strength left, Gavin placed his hands atop Nines’. “For the first time, you gave me something to dream about, Ni,” he said, voice growing fainter as he could feel blackness encroaching. “I...I wanted nothing more than to marry you...I’ll love you, always...” It was too much for his already fragile body to take: Gavin lost the fight and went limp in Nines’ hands.

** _"No! _ ** _ Gavin! Come on! _ Don't you fucking leave me! I love you,  _ fuck!"  _ Tears were falling freely and he couldn't gather any of his thoughts. "All you had to do was wait. We were going to be fine! I was gonna marry you and keep you safe!"

Rose had been on her way back with Kara and Luther when they heard Nines’ screaming voice from within the hidden rooms. They all shared a look and ran through the secret passage, rushing towards him. When they emerged into the chambers , she gasped in horror at finding Nines and Gavin on the floor. “Oh-Oh no...” she sobbed.

Nines barely registered the new people in the room as he sobbed uncontrollably, trying with panicked hands to stop the bleeding. "Gavin,  _ please! _ "

Kara turned to her husband and pushed him towards Nines and Gavin. “We need to get him medical attention now! I’ll run to the doctor and warn him that we’ve got someone critically injured!” She then turned to head for the main doors, checking that the coast was clear before they made their dash to the medical wing.

Thinking quickly, Rose grabbed the cover from bed and shifted it under Nines’ hands to try and stem the bleeding. “Nines, we need to get him to a doctor! Gavin will die if we don’t move quickly!”  Nines was inconsolable and visibly in shock, unable to absorb any of the words around him. 

Luther stepped in and moved Nines bodily. "Come now, Prince Nines. What did I tell you about putting out grease fires with water?"  Nines blinked dumbly as he tried to process the statement while  Luther took one look at Gavin and gingerly picked him up. "Kara, lead the way to the doctor."

Kara looked outside the safe room before leading them down the corridors at speed, only to bump into Allen on the way.  “Fletcher, I thought you were bringing the doctor?” Rose asked worriedly. 

“He refuses to come,” Allen responded before his eyes locked on the grey pallor of Gavin’s skin. “What-What happened?” 

“He’s going to die if we don’t get help,” Kara told him. “The Prince is in shock and this man is dying.” 

Allen’s eyes hardened menacingly. “Follow me. We will not be refused again.”  The group made their way towards the small medical wing of the castle. Nines was shaking all over and wasn't sure how much longer he was going to be able to stay upright.  Luther was silent as he carried the still bleeding Gavin, trying to be as careful as possible.

Rose came to Nines’ side and stayed with him as they advanced, Kara being the one to shout for help as they arrived at the medical wing. The second that she announced someone was critically injured from a stab wound, there was a flurry of activity all around them as they took Gavin from Luther’s arms.  Allen disappeared with a short announcement that he had to update King Connor on the developments, but not without posting extra guards at the entrance to the medical wing.  When one of the doctors looked at Rose in confusion, finding the state of the rest of Gavin’s body, she whispered an answer to him. “He’s been tortured over a significant length of time.”

Nines found himself sitting down staring at his blood stained hands -  Gavin had been whisked away and everyone clattered around as they tried to save the man only four people knew he was even engaged to, who knew just what Gavin meant to him. All Nines could hear was the blood rushing in his ears and all he could see was the red on his hands.  He barely registered when Rose sat down next to him. "This is all my fault," he breathed out.

Uncaring about the blood covering them, Rose took his hands in her own. Hers were also coated in a thin sheen. “None of this is your fault - this is all the fault of that mad King. We’ll ensure that what he’s done to Gavin is exposed.”

Nines tried to smile but he wasn't sure if he managed. "I just hope Gavin lives long enough to see that happen." He squeezed Rose's hands, needing the reassurance. "Do you think Connor will finally listen to me?"

“I can’t see how he will refuse now, not after all this. Between Gavin’s injuries, which the King can now see for himself, the word of myself, Fletcher and you...I would say that he is just being outright stubborn,” she admitted huffily.  Before she could go on, however, they both turned to hear running footsteps from the corridor. 

A blonde-haired servant, looking frantic, appeared with a bag clutched in one hand. “Please tell me that he’s not here. Tell me that Gavin’s safe,” she whispered, begging.

Nines saw red as he stood up far too quickly, rage coursing through his veins.  _ " _ Why the fuck should I tell you anything?" he hissed venomously.

She stood firm against Nines’ wrath, knowing it was deserved. “My name is Chloe, I’m one of Elijah’s servants. Please, I just want to know that Gavin is okay. I want to try and stop this madness before it gets any worse!” she pleaded, mildly fearful of the borderline madness she could see in Nines' eyes.

The prince raised his bloody hands up for her to see. "I have no idea if he's okay or not. You're just as in the dark as I am and I honestly don't think this can get any worse," he snarled. "Care to tell me what you wish to 'try'?"

Chloe closed her eyes and sighed before pulling a notebook out from the bag she was carrying. “I was searching for this - I hoped to find this before Gavin was hurt beyond fixing, but I fear I’m too late... This is Elijah’s journal. It will tell you everything you could want to know: including the truth about who Gavin really is.”

Nines stared at the small leather bound book and then the woman holding it. He felt his temper start to fail him. Instead he gently took it and nodded. "Thank you." Nines pocketed it, not up for delving into secrets in the middle of the medical wing. "Now, it may be in your best interest to leave."

She looked reluctant but had a sense that she truly wasn’t welcome, so Chloe nodded instead. “Please, don’t let him die,” she whispered to Nines. “You have no idea how many lives it will affect. I’ll be hiding in the gardens when you are looking for some explanations.” 

As Chloe left, Rose followed her movement in interest. “That was...odd,” she commented, finding the timing of that appearance highly suspicious.

"Indeed," Nines whispered as he sat back down and resumed staring at his bloody hands. "Rose? Why can't I just have a simple life?" he wondered aloud.  Rose gave a small smile and opened her mouth to answer but she didn't get the chance. 

_ "**Richard Arkait the Ninth!**"  _ The voice of his brother boomed from nearby. "Why is my castle on red alert without my consent?" 

Nines looked up and his eyes narrowed as he saw not only his brother but Elijah approaching. He smiled at the pair and gave them silent, bloody jazz hands.  Elijah’s eyes narrowed slightly, instantly knowing that Gavin had failed him, but he played the part of the oblivious king. “If we are all in danger, I would appreciate the warning rather than finding out second hand,” he growled menacingly. 

Rose glared at him but just managed to keep her tongue in check. Nines could handle this. _ " _ Oh?"  Nines stood and walked up to Elijah. "I'm sure you know  _ plenty," _ he rumbled as his right hand subconsciously went to the sword on his hip. "Why don't you explain why we're all here?"

Elijah’s expressed soured. “I wouldn’t have the slightest idea - I don’t know whose blood is on your hands after all,” he spat. 

Rose hissed lowly, but audibly. “As if you don’t: you picked a lock to sneak into the safe rooms that the Prince and I were taking shelter in! Play the innocent act all you like,  _ Your Majesty _ ,” she added sarcastically, “but we’re well aware of what you’ve been trying to do. To us, and especially to poor Gavin!”  Elijah’s stare locked on to Rose menacingly.

Nines felt an equally threatening smile creep onto his face as he took another step towards Elijah, silently displaying that he was of larger stature than the king. "We're picking locks now?" he growled while reaching out and smeared some of the still drying blood on Elijah's face. "Come on, take a guess who's blood is this? I think you know."  Connor sputtered in the background at the display

This stand-off was not something that Elijah was prepared for and he stepped back, eyeing Nines hatefully. “This isn’t over,” he snapped lowly enough that only Nines would hear. “He may have been as useless as ever, but you won’t beat me that easily.  I know the colour of that blood, I know where it’s from. Let’s see how tough you are when your whore dies,” he goaded before stepping back and leaving the room rapidly. He needed to prepare for his backup option - Elijah hadn’t missed Nines’ intent. If he wanted a fight, he was going to get it .

The prince spit in the direction of the fleeing king as Elijah retreated. "Your right this isn't over," he whispered to himself. 

_ "Nines?!"  _ Connor screamed as he grabbed his brother's arm. "What the hell was that?" 

His harsh soldier exterior crumbled and Nines softened. "He's trying to kill me, but I've known that for at least a day now." Nines ignored anything else Connor was going to say and turned to Rose in concern. "Are you alright?"

She smiled softly at him. “I’m fine, it needed to be said. That was why I returned with Luther and Kara, I was terrified when I heard him breaking in. Imagine my horror when we came back and...” Tears welled in her eyes as she reached out for Nines. “What happened, Nines? How did Gavin end up in such a way?” she whispered.

"That's not a story for right now," Nines said slowly and carefully. "Let's go get cleaned up. I'm sure we'll hear something about Gavin by the time we're no longer covered in blood." He turned to his brother. "After we've washed up and I've heard back about Gavin, you're going to listen to what I have to say." 

Connor shook his head in exasperation. "You have a lot of explaining to do." He let out a harsh breath before hugging Nines, finally realising that there was more to the tales than he'd believed before. "I'll listen this time. Go on get cleaned up." 

They pulled out of the hug and Nines led Rose to where they could get scrub away all of the blood, needing the break before they faced the fallout still to come.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Stu: Well, _that_ is the scene that started this whole fic idea. Because this is all based on a dream I had. Where Nines was a prince and Gavin was a servent of some sort and that Elijah found out and ordered Gavin to kill Nines. And Nines is like, "why would you do this to me?" And Gavin just cried a lot and tried to stab Nines and then I would wake up. And I have that dream three times in a row ending at the same spot everytime. 
> 
> Then I posted it as a plot bunny and the rest is history. Who knew I would take over 70k to get to the scene that started it all.


	22. Secret No More

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> **Skye: I hope you're all not hating us too much right now? I'm afraid this is going to get worse yet still before it gets better!!!**
> 
> **As a small side note, I hope you've all enable work skins for this fic. It'll have an added effect for later in the chapter :) **

Elijah was furious, absolutely furious. He had no idea how Gavin had possibly still possessed the will to defy him one last time - Elijah had been convinced that he was broken. Still, the point remained that Gavin had failed - and not only that, Nines’ reaction had been telling enough for Elijah to know that Gavin had consciously defied him. 

The Prince hadn’t been distraught, he’d been vengeful. That told Elijah that Gavin’s wounds were likely self inflicted. As he got back to his chambers, he went to his chest to retrieve his customised daggers when he noticed that the dials were out of position. Eyes narrowed, he snapped open the lock and sighed in aggravation when he noticed the journal which was now absent. 

“Chloe...” he breathed out painfully, slumping over the chest as the betrayal stung bitterly. Of all the times for her to abandon him... 

“No matter,” he snapped before grabbing the daggers and throwing knives within. “This will end soon enough.”

* * *

Rose took a washcloth and started to rinse down Nines’ arms and hands, taking care to scrub away all the sticky residue of Gavin’s blood. She could only imagine what was going through Nines’ mind right now, he must be in such a mess. “Talk to me,” she urged softly, beginning to rinse her own hands.

Nines shook his head. "I really don't remember what happened. It happened so quickly and I... I can't quite remember what exactly took place."  He tried to smile, but it fell decidedly flat. "Whatever it was, it fucking hurt." After that he clammed up and went to help scrub the blood from Rose's hands, needing the distraction.  She let him have his way until the last of the blood was gone, but Rose knew Nines well enough to know that he needed a gentle push to process things like this. 

Once he was finished, she guided him into her arms and she started rubbing his back soothingly. “It’s okay, it’s just me,” she reassured. “Let it all out.”

The prince sniffed and clutched at her. "He tried to stab me," he said as a few tears leaked down his face, "but he clearly wasn't actually trying to hurt me. Rose, he wanted me to kill him. Gavin ended up stabbing himself after I wouldn't. The rest is too blurry."

That wasn’t what she expected at all and she held him tighter. “Oh Nines...I’m so sorry. How did- How did he manage to get hold of a knife? There weren’t any in the safe room, we did a sweep ourselves.  Or...was that what King Elijah was truly after? Find Gavin and give him something to hurt you?” she wondered. “As if that fiend hadn’t done enough you poor boys...”

"I'm almost certain he forced Gavin within an inch of his life to do that; I mean, you saw what he looked like when Allen brought him back."  Nines pulled back and let out a devious smile. "I think Elijah is surprised that his plan failed so spectacularly. He's exposed himself for some sort of evil plot." After a brief moment he stood. " We need to be heading back that way, I need to check on Gavin."

Rose nodded and guided Nines back to the main wing where everyone was still seated patiently.  Surprised that there hadn’t been an update, Rose went to Kara who was still standing at the side of the room with Luther.  “No news?” she asked quietly. 

“None,” Kara confirmed. “Which is not a great sign...”

Nines huffed impatiently. "I'm going to check on him myself, I don't trust him being alone for so long." He didn't wait for approval as he started towards the room Gavin was in.

The doctors were talking amongst themselves when Nines appeared, and one of them approached with a grave expression. “Your Highness,” he greeted blandly. “We’ve done all we can, but right now... it’s out of our hands. All we can do is wait and see if he lives through the night. It’s all on him now.”

The prince swallowed and steeled himself. "Thank you for your work. I'm going to order guards at the door, so don't be alarmed by that when it happens." He then took a seat. "How likely is he to pull through? I.. I'll need to prepare myself if it is unlikely."

“At this stage, I would honestly say the odds are against him. But you yourself have come through graver wounds. What is working against him is all the previous trauma he suffered, it has left him dangerously weak.” The doctor then nodded towards the door. “You can see him, but I would prepare yourself. He is not in a good way.”

Nines stood up in surprise, not having expected to be let in. He smiled sadly at the doctor. "I've seen worse. Lead the way, please." Nines dutifully followed the doctor, preparing for a gruesome sight.  When they finally went through, Gavin was heavily bandaged and looking ashen. His chest was barely rising and falling: from a distance, one wouldn’t be blamed for believing the man to have already passed. 

“I will give you some time,” the doctor told him softly before departing, leaving Nines and Gavin alone.  Nines stood, shellshocked, for a few moments before he slowly made his way over to the bed. He couldn't help himself as he went and checked Gavin's pulse: slow and faint, but there. 

He then took his lover's hand in his. "Hey, Gavin," he choked out, "seems like the cat's out of the bag. After this looks like everyone's gonna know about us, huh?" Nines swallowed down a sob as he stared at the other man. "I really hope you wake up. God, I really hope I don't lose you."  He left Gavin's side briefly only to grab a chair before getting comfortable. Sitting there and holding onto Gavin's hand, he would stay as long as it took.

It was some time before Rose came through to join him. She walked across and pressed a gentle hand to his shoulder to get his attention before speaking. “The King wishes to see you, Nines,” she spoke softly before looking sadly at Gavin. “How is he?”

He really didn't want to deal with Connor at the moment, but it looked like he didn't have a choice. Nines stood up, not taking his eyes off of Gavin. "He's weak," he answered bluntly as he turned to look at Rose. "I don't think he's going to make it to the morning." The prince shook his head to clear away the horror of possibly having to bury his fiancé before focusing on the present again.  "I'll double check security and then head over to talk to Connor."

Rose brought him in for another hug. “You know what Gavin has survived already, he won’t let this last thing beat him,” she said in reassurance. “Don’t forget about that book that Chloe gave you. She said something about how it says who ‘Gavin really is’...? It’s probably worth looking at - especially if it could tell King Elijah’s plan in writing. You could show it to Connor?”

"I need to look at it, I know. But part of me doesn't want to know."  He pulled out the book in question and sneered at it. "All kinds of fucked up things that man has done are in here. I can feel it." Stashing the book again, he gave Rose a soft kiss on her cheek. "I'll see you in a bit." He then started towards where he assumed Connor would be.

Everyone else was still gathered in the front room when Nines reappeared with Rose, and it was Allen who first approached. “How is he?” He asked solemnly.

Nines shook his head sadly. "He's weak and his recovery is up in the air. I... I don't know." He put a hand on Allen's shoulder and squeezed. "Please keep guards by his room. We can't risk any more unnecessary stress." Nines then pulled back and looked at the group as a whole.  "Thank you all so much for everything you have done for me and Gavin. It means the world to me." He bowed in gratitude.  "Now, I must leave to go talk to Connor." It took some time to cross the castle and  Nines steeled his nerves as he finally put his hand on the entrance to Connor's study. 

The jig was finally up and it was time for him and Connor to decide how to proceed. He pushed open the door and he was greeted by Connor and Hank huddled around the large table in the center of the room.  "Hello, Nines," Connor greeted as he turned his attention to his younger brother. "I feel like I need to do some listening and you need to do some explaining." 

"Sounds about right," Nines said with a soft sigh. "But I think I have something that will make this go so much smoother." He reached into his shirt and pulled out the small leather bound journal. "Elijah's consort, Chloe, gave this to me. She said it has some answers as to what the king is up to." 

Connor took the book and untied it. "So, how is he?" the king asked as he started to flip through the pages. 

"He's weak," Nines repeated once again. "We don't know if he'll wake up again, but I'm hopeful."  Connor didn't respond verbally as he continued to look through the book.

“I suppose a logical place to start would be when Elijah and his entourage arrived for the beginning of the talks?” Connor suggested. Without waiting for confirmation either way, he read the first passage aloud. 

_ Finally we have arrived in Connor’s kingdom, and the differences between it and my own are astounding. I cannot comprehend how his people could have possibly fought a war for so long given how...peaceful they all seem to be. It seems a strange juxtaposition.  _

_ These talks will be intriguing, and I can only wonder when an opportunity will arise - I doubt one will manifest with Connor himself, that would need a miracle to happen, but the Prince has always seemed the higher priority target. Given his military background and experience, Prince Richard would be a greater threat for when the war resumes.  _

_ As such, he is my focus. Chloe will monitor Richard while I’ll send Gavin to follow any loose ends with Connor. He might not be much, but I think that abomination knows that to be caught would harbour serious consequences. Both from Connor and myself. Nothing like hoping he won’t curse this whole process. I will not tolerate failure here _ _ . _

Nines mindlessly went to look over Connor's shoulder so that he could see the words for himself. He frowned heavily as his brother smoothly read through the chilling passage and when he was finished, Nines whistled. "He's wanted to kill me since day one. I can't believe I hadn't noticed Chloe following me," he mused. 

Connor shook his head with a small smile. "I think you were a little distracted for once," he chuckled. 

"Fair," Nines conceded, "Read the next one. I want to know what else he had to say."  Connor then continued reading aloud. 

_ As predicted, Connor has nothing to offer that incentivises me to abandon the war. Be it power, wealth or tradable commodities. It is truly a conundrum as to what he thought he could achieve.  _

The eyes of the King narrowed in disdain before he went on. 

_ Much to my surprise, however, it looks like Gavin has connected with Richard. I haven’t the slightest idea how or why, but Chloe reports that there seems to be a genuine spark between them. This warrants more investigation and nurturing.  _

_ It’s overdue for me to vent my frustrations on that bastard. I’ll have to think on what I shall do - perhaps carve that still healing brand? That could do the trick. Let’s see whether what Chloe said about something earnest between them growing is true. If Richard truly cares for Gavin, then his combat past will mean that he shall probably help him. If not, then I’ll still have had the opportunity to thrash him and have lost nothing. Still...I cannot help but see the irony. My slave and the Prince of Connor’s kingdom... Gavin could well prove useful after all, for once in his miserable life. Time for him to prove his worth. _

Connor and Nines had matching looks of disdain as they reached the end of that section. "I really hate it when you're right sometimes," Connor whispered. 

Nines shook his head with some dark amusement. "You think you'd learn to listen to me by this point." 

The king shrugged and then turned to look at his younger brother. "I have to ask: how did you meet Gavin and what about this spark? You don't just 'meet people'?" 

At that Nines blushed and looked away. "Gavin caught my eye during the parade at the beginning of the talks. I hadn't actually planned to talk to him, maybe just admire from afar...but I saw him looking at one of my paintings and I had to talk to him." Nines looked back at Connor and gave a small smile. "We really did hit it off. I saw him later that night out by your fish pond and helped him patch up a cut on his arm. We talked for a while, until I offered him to try out drawing, then he fled like he was on fire." 

Connor grinned at the retelling. "You've got it bad." 

"I thought that was apparent already. " Nines blushed even deeper at his brother's teasing. "No matter, just read the next one, please."  Connor chuckled lightly and went on to the next entry. 

_ Well, well, well. Of all things, I didn't predict this. I thought Gavin might catch Richard's attention - but not as fast as this. Expecting those two to whore it out in Richard's study was somewhat of a surprise.  _

_ I am glad that Chloe spared me the details, that was something I can gladly go without knowing. Still, this is an opportunity which I cannot pass up. Gavin is now suitably cowed and if my suspicions are right, he will go running back to his 'beloved' Prince. Let's see what happens next. It would be somewhat poetic justice that if after all these years that my basta- _

Connor went pale and looked at Nines, dumbfounded, as he finished the sentence. 

_ -my bastard brother would prove to be my Queen in this chess game. _

Nines' hand went to his mouth. The dots he couldn't connect suddenly made sense: the refusal to just kill Gavin, the abuse, the unwavering need for control of every aspect of Gavin's life and the unwillingness to be seen next to Gavin. It all made sense. 

Gavin was a bastard, a royal blooded one. The technical heir to Elijah's throne. 

_ "Fuck," _ Nines said eloquently. 

Connor nodded in stunned agreement. "You're right once again." 

"That's a lot to process," Nines drew out as he ran a hand through his hair, mind suddenly scattered. "Want to read the next one while I absorb it?"  Connor blinked and turned back to the book with a subdued nod.

_ The Prince has taken his fucktoy out to the city, but as predicted he realised they were being followed. Still, he found the decoy and not Chloe herself. My other sentry will dispose of her to ensure of no loose ends before we have left.  _

_ Gavin has not returned tonight, and Chloe confirms that they are together in Richard's chambers. It truly does seem that they have fallen in love, incredibly. This could prove to be both a help and a hindrance. Breaking the whore to make him the perfect assassin could be trickier if their relationship is that deep; but it will happen.  _

_ I have plenty of imagination - I'll find a way to drive Gavin to the edge of insanity. Curse my inability to kill my own blood - he's given me far too many headaches over the years. Well, if he does fail, at least I am in no doubt that Richard will kill him. Another betrayal will surely destroy whatever faith the Prince has left in humanity. _

Nines hummed in annoyance. "I hate how Elijah has me so well pinned, it's unsettling. At least he got the important things wrong." 

Connor frowned after he finished reading. "I have several things I want to comment on. First off, fuck you for going to town for a date," he grumped jealously. "Secondly, this is a massive clusterfuck." 

"I know for a fact if you had a secret identity you'd sneak out with Hank once in a while," Nines stated as he winked at Hank. 

Hank snickered and went back to what looked like taking notes while giving Connor a knowing look.  "I'm going to go back to reading now," Connor sighed, though he had a tiny blush on his cheeks.

_ Chloe has taken Gavin to the Prince, and I doubt I shall see him for at least a day. Those wounds will cripple but not kill. In the meantime, I think I will try and unnerve Richard, see how he is faring in this game. Knowing his mental state will make it easier to decide when to make my move. In the meantime, I have arranged for the other servant who helped Gavin to seek Richard's aid to be 'indisposed'. Some good old fashioned Jericho dust. Non-fatal of course.  _

_ Rupert is a decent servant, and I can't blame him for being sympathetic to the abomination. I'm many things, but not unfair. When Gavin returns, I suspect I will have to push harder. I haven't had the chance to try the drowning technique I learned several years ago...Maybe this would be a good chance? No matter, I have time to plan. Now to see to the day's 'negotiation', if it can even be called that. It's truly farcical at this point. _

Connor frowned and shook his head. "I'm assuming Elijah gave this Jericho Dust to the servant he blamed Gavin for killing." 

Nines nodded in agreement. "Yes, it's a very good substance for faking death int he short term. It causes paralysis, shortness of breath, weakness, and a temporary comatose-like state." 

The king looked at Hank, seeming a bit nervous. "I'm sorry that I sided with Elijah over you," Connor apologised. "I assumed you were compromised and it was clouding your judgement, but I see that is only partially the truth." 

"I appreciate the apology, at least I can say I understand to some degree, but please listen to me more often for fuck’s sake," Nines asked in return. 

Connor gave a short not in agreement. "That's reasonable."  Their attention turned back to the journal. 

_ Nothing like a little fear tactics to get the blood going. I have instructed the dagger to be dropped off in the Prince's room, and with it Gavin will come crawling back. He must surely be all but broken now, I cannot see more than one last hard push breaking him. Have I crippled him so much that he will be too weak to defeat the Prince? Either way it matters not to me. He'll be caught and punished publicly, or die by Richard's hand. The Prince will be left broken hearted either way, and the war shall continue.  _

_ Our forces will be ready tomorrow just beyond the border, and the minute I give the signal or do not return, they will move in. I cannot help but wonder if Chloe thinks differently of me after all these events...she has been shying away from me and it is hurtful. She is everything to me, all I have ever asked of her is to not judge my methods. Perhaps that was always too much to ask, though she has never taken issue in the many years we have been together: and this is far from the first time she has seen me punish Gavin. This is something I must resolve later, I do not want to lose her. Once the whore and his reluctant Prince are dealt with, I must fix this. _

That was the final entry. Connor kept reading over the paper over and over again, trying to get any more details from what was written on each page. Nines, on the other hand, was already in motion. "Hank, get a wire out to the outposts at the western border, now!**" **If there was the possibility of attack it needed to be taken seriously. Nines then turned to Connor. "We need to consult our teams about the threat of attack. I bet you those troops are set on the capital. We need to act as soon as possible." 

"Nines..." Connor drew out as he stood up and put the book down. 

"No, Connor, I'm not overreacting. I've fought on those borders. We do not want to be attacked by Cybera completely unprepared. Get the armies together," Nines paused as he drew his sword.  "King Elijah Kamski is not returning home." He then made his way out of the study.

* * *

In the gardens, Chloe spotted Nines on his determined march through the castle and called out to him. "Prince Richard!" she shouted while running to catch up with him.

Nines glared at the ground and then sighed, taking the most neutral stance he could at the moment. "What do you want Chloe?" he asked in exasperation. He didn't have time for this.

"You're looking for Elijah, aren't you?" she ventured as a suggestion. "If you are, there's something you should know," Chloe went on, waiting for his reaction.

"I'm going to a wild guess at what you're going to tell me: he's waiting in hiding for me somewhere?" Nines said, his voice thin and distrusting. His eyes kept a harsh look out, not willing to let his guard down.

"No, he's waiting for you in his own chambers," Chloe responded darkly. "I don't know how much Gavin told you, but Elijah fights like an assassin. He specialises in sleight of hand and misdirection, and isn't above using poison. Please just make sure that you don't get hit by his blades, even in passing. They are coated in a deadly combination." 

"I'm far too experienced for that, but I will keep that in mind," Nines stated coldly.

Chloe nodded in reply. "Is...Is Gavin alive?" she whispered fearfully.

"He is as far as I am aware," Nines sighed as he shook his head. "Thank you for the journal."

"I only wish I'd said something long ago, before all this happened," she admitted. "Maybe then things wouldn't have been as fucked up as this..."

"Things will work out for the best.” Nines softened a bit at her remorse. “Also, as terrible as things are, Gavin and I at least had the luxury to meet. Thank you, Chloe, but  I have to leave now."

"No, you don't get it! I've known who Gavin really is for years!" she exclaimed tearfully. "I-I should have done or said something sooner, if he's killed Gavin...I'll never forgive myself..."

"Oh?" Nines swallowed, an uncomfortable amount of anger bubbling right back up. "That's it,  _ huh? _ You only care that Gavin was tortured for almost his whole life because he has royal blood?" he sneered down at the blonde. "Pity. Heaven forbid how much worse his life could have been if he were just a peasant. Good day, Miss Chloe." He turned on his heels and made his way away from the garden.

“No!  _ Please!  _ That’s not what I meant!” she pleaded in one last desperate effort. “You’ve seen what Elijah is like, you know what damage he can cause. I-I feared for my own life.” Nines paused, which Chloe leapt upon.  “Elijah always said that he couldn’t and wouldn’t kill Gavin because they shared the same blood, the same wouldn’t apply to me. You have no idea how often all of us wanted to do something to try and help Gavin escape that life, but we had no clue how... 

“What I hate about myself is that I never exposed how Elijah manipulated Gavin’s whole life, showed his malevolence to everyone. How he tore apart Gavin’s childhood and his life since...that’s why I wish I had done more.” She looked at Nines tearfully. “Despite everything that happened to him, Gavin has never been malicious or hateful to anyone, that speaks so much of his character. He’s always put others above himself, often to the point where he gets hurt in the process. Please, just...look after him. If he survives, give him the life he deserves. That’s all I ask,” she finished in a whisper.

"I will," Nines said resolutely. "Chloe, I'm allowing you a favor. Go into the capital city and go to the The Cove tavern, you know the place, and say Chapman sent you and that you need help. You have an option at asylum that way." He then bowed slightly. "I'm running out of time. I wish you the best."

“Thank you, Prince Richard.” She hadn’t been expecting that. “I may care for Elijah...but nothing excuses what he’s done,” she told him tearfully. “Please, for all our sakes - and especially for Gavin's - make sure he doesn’t do this to anyone else.” She then turned and fled the garden, headed towards the city.  Nines let out a breath as she left. He hoped everything worked out the best for her.  Now he had to go check on Gavin and take a visit to his room. 

He made his way to the medical wing to see if anything has changed, only to find his small group were still around the spot he'd left them earlier.  "Any news?" He asked, hopeful.

Allen looked at him severely. “There’s been somewhat of a development...turns out some of our own staff are traitors,” he spat. 

Kara picked up where Allen had left off. “One of the doctors attempted to slip something to Gavin, but Rose wandered in just in time. She’s taken a gash to the arm in stopping him, but she’s okay. Whatever happened though, Gavin’s grown even weaker,” she finished somberly. “They doubt he’ll live through the night unless something drastic changes.”

Nines' mouth fell open and he couldn't make his words work.  _ His own staff?  _ He almost couldn't believe it. He'd always made sure his staff were treated well and fairly. What had his family done to this doctor to make them want to kill the man he loved?  After a few moments he gathered himself back together and nodded. "Okay. Thank you for letting me know. I'm going to see him." He gave a tiny nod and went to where Gavin was.

Gavin’s condition had dramatically worsened, which Nines hadn't quite been braced for. He was now sweating and clammy to the touch, gasping in pain and squirming even in his barely conscious and fragile state.  Another one of the doctors was trying to cover him with cool towels to keep his developing fever down while Rose watched, horrified, from the other side of the room as her shoulder was being stitched by a nurse. She was so caught up in Gavin’s agony that she didn’t even notice Nines come in.

Nines saw Gavin and after a few seconds he grabbed the nearest doctor by the shoulders and forced them to look at him.  " He's been poisoned ." Nines muttered an apology at how tightly he'd been holding them, but then went right back into his rant. "Based on the symptoms I'd say it's Thirium. He's going to need the antidote for that  **now.** _ "  _ Nines pointed at the door, urging them to go. He knew they had had the antidote but most people wouldn't be able to recognise such a terrible poison. After the doctor left he turned to Rose. "How long ago was the poisoning?"

“Twenty minutes ago? I think I arrived not even a minute too late, I’m so sorry,” she apologised tearfully before hissing at a stitch which pulled.

"No, no, no," Nines clambered to his knees in front of her, "this isn't your fault. I'm just a mess. God, I'm just glad you're not any worse hurt." Nines was getting to he point where if anything else went wrong he might just collapse himself.  He looked up at Rose with watery eyes. "Why would the doctor betray me? What have we done wrong?"

“Sometimes simply the promise of money or power would be enough, Nines,” she sniffled. “I don’t think this is anything to do with you, but more what that  **fucker ** King Elijah promised him. Or threatened him with, it could be either.” She tried to hold back on her tears. “How deadly and painful is this ‘Thirium’?” she wondered.

Nines shook his head worriedly. "It's meant to make the consumer suffer a large amount before it inevitably kills them if it goes untreated. It's a hate poison. Gavin should be fine though, I know for a fact that we have the antidote."

“He’s already so weak...I’d hate to think that after all of this...” Rose knew what Nines was thinking, she knew that there was no need to finish that sentence. That the poison, even if treated, might just be that one step too far.

"I know, Rose. _ I know." _ Nines stood up and leaned in to give her a kiss on the cheek, before he then walked over to the bed where Gavin was and sat down next to him. He i ntertwined their fingers together as he waited for the doctor. "Hey, Gavin. I promise that if you pull through this no one is ever going to get the chance to hurt you again. Okay? You just have to come back to me," Nines reassured. He rambled more sweet nothings until the doctor finally returned a vial in hand.

As it was injected into Gavin, the man wailed at the sudden contrast of the antidote to the poison which was still burning through him. He thrashed on the bed and cried silently, hand holding onto Nines' in a death grip.  "Ni...Ni, I need you, please...Please don't hate me,  _ please... _ Don't leave me." In his delirium, Gavin didn't realise that Nines was right there with him as he kept fighting through the pain of the antidote neutralising the poison.

Nines gathered Gavin in his arms and petted his hair in what he hoped would be soothing before he looked at the room in large. "This isn't abnormal. The healing causes disconnect," he announced, trying to keep calm as Gavin continued to squirm in pain.

"Ni...Ni please, are you there?  _ Please... _ " Gavin kept gasping and heaving in as deep breaths he could until at last the antidote took effect. Completely drained and still feverish from the poison, Gavin all but instantly passed out again. He went dead limp in Nines' arms as his racing heart finally started to slow, the poison no longer a danger to him. Nines took a few deep breaths himself, but that didn't stop a few tears slipping down his face. He kept running a calming hand through Gavin's hair. 

He didn't look up as he whispered to everyone. "Can I have a moment, please?"  The doctors nodded and vacated the room. 

Rose gave Nines a comforting smile as she and the nurse that was attending to her shifted a little further along to give Nines total privacy.  Nines, once alone with Gavin, proceeded to start crying in earnest. Fat, yet silent tears ran down his cheeks. Nines was terrified that the last words Gavin would ever say would be Gavin pleading for him. He could barely handle the constant ups and downs of emotions; he had to make this all stop and there was only one way to do that. 

Several minutes passed while he held Gavin before he could gather himself back together. He kissed Gavin and whispered a few sweet nothings before he started out of the room.  "Keep an eye on him for me," was all he said to those around him before he left, a destination already in mind.

His room was empty and still showed signs of the last few days of Nines' life, both good and bad. The prince bypassed all of that and went to his closet, pulling out a lock box from a safe. 

"Been awhile," he mused as he unlocked the box and pulled out a sizeable silver pistol. He'd got this from a trading ship at the ports near Elijah's kingdom: it felt like a fitting thing to be used against the demented king. Nines loaded the gun and then slipped it into a holster that he put on over his shirt. He then checked for his dagger and his sword, everything checking out. 

He was ready for the fight of his life.


	23. The Gloves Are Off

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> **Skye**: Time for the showdown between Nines and Elijah! Let me tell you, RPing a battle is weird enough, but then translating it to something that can be published as part of a fic? Even weirder! Hopefully it came out as an action scene that everyone can follow along with though!

Elijah was sitting twirling one of his throwing knives on his fingers as he waited inside his chambers. He'd studied enough about the prince to know that Nines would be coming to him, and surely this would be one of the first places he would look. 

Whatever Nines thought he knew about Elijah, however, it wouldn't prepare him for what was to come. Nines may have fought on the front lines of a war, but that was combat with at least some semblance of rules and norms. In a duel like this...assassins didn't follow any rules or formula, they played dirty and used every trick at their disposal to find an opening. 

Surely by now his bastard failure of a brother was dead, and Nines would be distraught. Vengeful on its own is dangerous but add grieving on top of it? That would mean Nines was distracted. He kept an ear out for any noises approaching, feigning disinterest - as soon as Nines was there, he would strike.

Meanwhile, Nines was sneaking down the secret passage he knew that would lead to Elijah's guest chambers. The prince knew he could enter this way almost completely silently. He knew Elijah was a trained assassin and that meant stealth and nasty fighting styles, but he was almost certain the sinister king would not be expecting Nines to bring a gun to a sword fight.

What could Nines say? He'd been pushed to his limit - he wasn't in the mood for playing nicely anymore.

He stopped as he got the exit that would enter into Elijah's room. A quick peek confirmed the man's back was to him. Perfect. Nines pulled out his pistol silently and took the safety off and cocked it slowly, being careful not to make a sound. He then moved into action, slowly opening the door enough to set up a clean shot. A deep breath later he pulled the trigger, the sound echoing painfully through the room and chamber with a loud '_**bang'**_.

Elijah was more than prepared though. He dove away and thrust a throwing knife from each hand, one hurtling straight at Nines while the other went to a trap rigged above the secret door that he'd used himself throughout the time in the castle. While Nines' best option was to dodge the knife that was hurtled at him, while he was distracted with that the second knife would release the pouch of Jericho Dust concentrated above the door. One inhale of that would cripple the Prince and make him easy prey.

Not banking on things being that easy, however, Elijah followed with a sharp kick against the table next to him, intent on it slamming hard into the secret door to jam it shut. Nines hadn't hesitated after he let loose his shot, charging the king with gun in one hand and a dagger now drawn in the other. He didn't care if the knife thrown at him landed or not: he had armour on for that. Nines cocked the gun and fired another bullet this time aiming for Elijah's legs, barely noticing as he dodged the table and the exit was slammed behind him.

The king stepped aside to let the bullet collide with the wall behind him harmlessly and ran to kick the table into the door hard enough to break it off its hinges. That removed that entrance as an option for Nines to retreat. Drawing four more throwing knives, Elijah kicked open the window to allow a breeze to disturb the curtains as he took cover round the corner of the second room in his suite. His eyes didn't shift from the hidden entryway to that room while his ears were tuned to the main entrance. 

Whichever way Nines made his appearance, Elijah was prepared for him.

Nines snickered as he watched Elijah flee the room. Rather than charge after him, he walked to the other end of the room to the secondary door. He grabbed a small painting and prepped it to be used as a shield while he whistled to catch Elijah's attention. "King Elijah Theodore Balthazar Kamski the Eleventh; hiding from me? I already knew you were too much of a coward to fight me head on, but this is pathetic!" He kicked open the other door and waited for the impact of the knives to hit the painting.

Elijah smirked at seeing where Nines emerged from and threw two knives low for the Prince to block while aiming for the Nines' head at the same time. As Nines ducked down behind the painting, Elijah aimed his fourth dagger at the ornamental suit of armour just to Nines' right.

While Nines was dodging that, Elijah hurled another pouch of Jericho Dust at the Prince which struck the damaged painting. Knowing that some of the residue would sneak through the cracks which had appeared, Elijah smirked as he shifted into the other room again. "You call it cowardice, I call it strategy, Prince Richard," he goaded back. "I don't just run blindly into a fight without a plan or three!" Now he had time to find a _ proper hiding _ spot. Nines let out an intentional hacking cough as he dropped the painting. The dust made him a bit dizzy, but held his breath and charged through the cloud after expelling some of it to find the fleeing king. 

He was rage fueled as he surveyed the room. Upon not seeing the king, Nines took a step back and aimed his gun at the chandelier and fired. The sound of it crashing to the ground and shattering echoed horribly through the room. Elijah rolled his eyes as the juvenile tactic from his hiding spot. Did Nines really think that shooting the chandelier would make him jump and reveal himself? His reactions were far more refined than that, even when he wasn't looking at the room. Deciding to see what Nines would do as he got more frustrated, Elijah just bid his time as he retrieved two more throwing knives and pulled one of his six daggers. Now he had to decide where he was going to cripple Nines first...

Trying another tactic to lure Elijah out, Nines pulled out a small grenade from his holster. He pulled the pin and waited for the worst of the chandelier crash to happen before he chucked the grenade into the other end of the room. The resulting explosion blasted a sizeable hole into the wall. "One way to get people out of holes is to get rid of the hole," Nines chuckled loudly. "Or make a new one."

Looking down from where he was hiding, Elijah blew the stray hair which had fallen from his ponytail after the explosion and cast an eye around the room. Talk about inelegant... "How pathetic," he whispered to himself before hurtling one of his throwing knives into the glass remains of the chandelier to make just enough of a noise to draw Nines' attention. Now he just had to wait. 

Nines gaze zeroed in on the other throwing knife that clattered in the wreckage. Looking at the angle of the blade he noted where it had come from. He looked up to where he was sure Elijah was hiding, pulling another grenade from his holster as he smiled menacingly. "Come on out, Elijah. Or-" Without hesitating, Elijah thrust a knife at the hand holding the grenade while kicking out from behind the curtain and catapulting to the floor. As he tumbled away, he threw his dagger and smirked when it clipped the inside of Nines' wrist. 

"Was it wise to tempt me, oh Prince? I wonder how good you are with your off hand?" Elijah taunted before vanishing back into the other room. If Nines wanted to catch him out, he was going to have to get smarter or abandon his distance strategy. In a game of long-range, Elijah had the advantage with his mastery of subterfuge.

The prince hissed ever so slightly at the pain in his hand and wrist as he forced an indifferent smile. _ "Eh," h _e shrugged as he pulled the pin and hurled the grenade he was still holding to where he fully believed Elijah was hiding, before launching himself to the other side of the fallen chandelier for cover. Laughing, Elijah caught the grenade and hurled it back at Nines, where it detonated just shy of the chandelier. He then followed it with another bag of the Jericho Dust, which landed right in front of Nines. 

"Child's play! Even my bastard brother gave a better fight than you!" Elijah sneered. "I wonder how much he's suffering right now? Do you feel guilty, not being at his side when you know he's dying?" Nines knew he was doing what was right, no amount of taunting would change his mind. But if they were playing that way...

He started to become even more dizzy but he pushed through it, needing to dig deep. "A bastard, huh? I guess that meant daddy didn't love you or your mommy," Nines sneered as he holstered his gun and drew his sword. "I bet your mommy hated you too. Oh, but Gavin and his mom must have loved him. That's why you killed her, isn't it?"

Elijah shook his head and watched Nines intently. “Clearly you were too lazy to read further back in the journal that my traitorous Chloe gave you - you would know the answer to that question if you’d bothered yourself to do some research rather than barrel in headfirst. Then again, I maybe should have expected that: you ran away from the remains of your own family after the ones you truly cared about were killed, with no plan as to what to do or what the consequences would be. Clearly blood ties mean as little to you as they do to me.” He sheathed his throwing knives and pulled out two of his daggers instead. Time for a different sort of fun.

Nines smiled as he noticed Elijah took the bait, the temptation of a close range fight with a seemingly weakened man too much to pass up. "What can I say? I enjoy going for a lot of things head first." Nines winked as he took another step around the wreckage, circling Elijah. "I think I finally found something we have in common. You also fell in love with a servant."

The king snorted in disdain. “Please. Chloe is a servant and Gavin was a slave, there is a world of difference between the two. And at least one was meant to exist, unlike the other.” He kept still as Nines closed in, biding his time. “But here _ is _one thing we have in common - we’re both alone now, left behind by those we loved. Do you regret not doing more to protect him?”

That caused Nines to shake his head, that thought striking a little close to home. He _ did _ regret not being able to protect Gavin, but he was fixing it. Nines locked eyes with Elijah and tried once again to get under his skin. "Did you ever think that Chloe leaving was your fault? Do _ you _regret not doing more to keep her happy? You ever think that maybe if you'd let Gavin be, maybe Chloe wouldn't have left you? We could have all been happy but look at us now. You ruined not only Gavin's happiness but your own."

“I care little about that _ abomination's happiness _. He never should have existed in the first place - and if I'd had enough gumption to do this years earlier, he wouldn’t have caused me these problems now.” Elijah’s eyes shadowed in rage as he thought of Chloe. “She’s made her choice, I won’t pursue her. Am I surprised? Not truly: I know that my methods cannot be stomached by most and Chloe is a peaceful soul. This is probably the best for her. As for my own happiness now...” Elijah hurtled one of his daggers at Nines, which clashed off Nines' sword with a vicious twang. “Finally killing you will bring me great joy!” He then pulled another dagger from his back and advanced on Nines rapidly.

Nines didn't wait and happily charged into battle. They collided in a stalemate but it didn't last, Nines shoving the other man back harshly. It was clear almost instantly that Nines was stronger than Elijah, smiling as the other man faltered. Elijah’s eyes narrowed as he reset- Nines was stronger than he thought. Much stronger.

Strength wasn’t everything though, and Elijah still had tricks up his sleeve. He threw another one of the daggers at close range as he grabbed his final pouch of Jericho Dust from his belt. While Nines deflected the dagger, Elijah ducked under his next swing and then sliced the pouch open before tossing it straight into Nines’ face. Taking advantage of the shock, Elijah kicked Nines hard in the back and caused the prince to crash through a table. As Nines fought to recover, Elijah vanished back into the room. There was more to a fight than a simple battle of strength - his tactics would win out when this became a battle of attrition.

More hacking coughs wracked Nines and felt himself get dizzy again along with a little nauseous for a moment. He hated that he wasn't the best at single combat but he wasn't going to give up. Nines took several deep breaths in some cleaner air before he charged after Elijah again. Too bad Elijah wasted all that Jericho dust, exposure built up immunity and he'd experienced plenty of that before today; though by the end of this he would have a pounding migraine.

Spying that Nines was back on his foot, Elijah smirked and kicked a chair towards him. Still dazed, Nines clattered into it and could only duck when Elijah sent a throwing knife after it. “You’re rather resistant to the Dust - I suppose that’s to be expected given the time you spent on the front lines. Tell me though, do you have any idea what happens when you mix Jericho Dust with powdered Thirium?” Elijah taunted. “I’m keen to find out.”

Nines blinked in surprise; that was why the dust was crippling him so much, it finally made sense. _ "You're mad," _he whispered, equal parts reluctantly impressed and sickened. "You should have fought in the war." He knew now that he was officially on a time limit and took a few more deep breaths before giving chase again. Nines switched his sword grip so that it was held in both hands, ready to try to end this quickly.

“Why do you think I love war so much? It’s an _ art _,” Elijah smirked while drawing his own sword. As the two of them clashed, Elijah quickly pulled out a throwing knife and thrust it into Nines’ arm. Nines let out a scream at the pain and rage at the nerve of calling war art. “And here I was thinking that you might be a challenge. Pity, I was looking forward to this,” the king lamented while kicking Nines back again.

The prince clambered over the wreckage as he scrambled to his feet. _ "Art? _ You think _ war _ is _ art? _How uncultured," he sneered before racing back into the fray.

“Just because what I take delight in is different from yours; there’s no need for name calling,” Elijah laughed while sidestepping so that Nines tripped over his leg and crashed to the floor again. “This is getting quite boring now...are you ever going to try?” he asked while yawning.

Nines stayed down for a moment and looked up at Elijah. "Was your mother ugly? I mean, Gavin is so much prettier than you. You just don't have _ anything _fuckable about you," he said, completely off the wall.

Sneering, Elijah threw another knife at Nines' chest. “Trust me, the feeling is mutual. I didn’t think Gavin was that much of a whore to crawl to you.”

The knife was a close call, Nines flinching as it clipped his side. "Ouch. It's the freckles, isn't it?" Nines joked as he finally pulled himself to his feet. "It's always the freckles." The effects of the powders were wearing off, he noticed. Interesting. Apparently this was still very much a work in progress, Nines doubted that this was what Elijah would want so soon.

Elijah was growing tired of the game now and kicked a piece of debris at Nines to test his reactions. When the Prince batted it away, Elijah smirked. “Now, are you finally going to give me a challenge, or continue to run your mouth off?”

Nines rolled his eyes at the taunt. "Are you going to stop fucking throwing Jericho Dust at me?"

That earned a cruel laugh from Elijah. “Why would I stop that? I’m testing a theory and I need more evidence. How better to compare the dosages of Thirium in the Dust which are the most painful?”

The prince groaned in disdain. "God, do you listen to yourself?" Nines barked as he charged and checked Elijah, causing him to stumble backwards, "I've never met a man as fucked up as you, and that's saying something!"

“I take that as a compliment,” Elijah smirked. "Why don’t you elaborate for me, Prince Richard? How painful was the combination, or did you not decide to see my abomination of a brother one last time before you came?” Elijah’s smile grew. “I hope that it was excruciating.”

"It was," Nines murmured, thinking on his feet. He decided to take it much farther than that, figuring that Elijah probably wouldn't call him out on this bluff. "He's not the first person to die in my arms. You get numb to death after a while." Nines narrowed his eyes at the king. "Did you really think I was stupid enough to believe this fairytale would end with me being happy?"

“Whether you truly believed it or not, I know you wanted it.” Elijah then pulled something out from his pocket and threw it towards Nines, enjoying how the Prince’s eyes widened at seeing it was the leather pendant that Nines had bought for Gavin in the city. “And I know it was something that he clung to as his one hope. Knowing that it was all for nothing _ has _to burn you inside.”

Nines liked to think he was a composed man, but seeing the pendant - something that was such a powerful symbol of what he and Gavin were - almost broke him. He was sure Elijah had seen the flash of pain on his face. Why he hadn't taken the opening astounded him. Nines looked at the king and smiled sadly. "I really did love him, you know." He considered a lot of options and decided his best was to stay on the defensive. See what Elijah would go next and hopefully goad him into a sloppy attack.

“Then the answer to the question has me highly intrigued. Tell me, which hurt more? His death when you could have prevented it, or that of your brother when it was _ your _friend who murdered your family?” Elijah sneered. He then sped forward, intent on finishing the fight. Nines sidestepped the charge and let out a rage filled scream, when Elijah locked eyes with him the king wasn't prepared for the prince to punch him in the face, sword handle out.

"Everyone around me seems to die one way or another and it looks like your next on that list, _bitch," _Nines spat venomously.

Snarling from the punch, Elijah backed up and hurled his final dagger at Nines, swinging for the Prince as he dodged it and clipping his side again. “Good fucking luck,” he taunted. “You have no real idea what I’m capable of!” Elijah then rolled away and kicked two more pieces of debris at Nines.

Nines slapped the objects away and kept advancing on the king. He knew his opponent was running out of tricks, that was evident: Nines had plenty of energy and rage to spare. "Then why don't you show me, you fucking cock?"

Eyes narrowing on Nines, Elijah decided it was time to end the fight. He slid back in with his sword raised and the two clashed, parrying and dealing blows in tandem. After a particularly vicious swing from Nines, Elijah thrust both their hands up to push their blades high, before dropping his sword from his right hand into his left to strike before Nines could recover. Nines' eyes sparkled as he recognized the trick from his practice session with Gavin, one a fighter wouldn't fall for twice.

He struck lightning fast and dove into the unexpected opening which came from Elijah's change of hand, swinging upwards. The blade ran through flesh and tore outwards - blood splattered and coated the floor as Elijah screamed, crumbling to the ground. He wouldn't be able to fight anymore so vicious an injury as his side being flayed open. 

_"Point,"_ Nines taunted. He then pulled out rope from the remains of a cabinet and unceremoniously rolled the bleeding king over to tie him up. "Shut the fuck up, you'll live. I promised someone that I wouldn't kill you. Exile seems more worthy of you anyway."

Elijah snarled and spat blood towards Nines' face. “You shouldn’t have bothered, it’s not like Chloe will care that much anyway! And how do you intend to exile me anyway? You don’t have the power for that!”

Nines sighed while wiping at the coating on his face. "Three things. One, gross," he stated while flicking the blood back towards its owner. "Two, besting a king in combat during war times means that I can claim your kingdom, and on top of that Gavin is technically your heir. To whom I am engaged, so I also have a marriage tie to the rule of your kingdom. Thirdly, it was Gavin who asked me to not kill you."

That last bit did catch Elijah off guard. “Why the _ fuck _ would he of all people ask you _ not _ to kill me? That makes no sense whatsoever!” He then coughed up more blood. “And you made one small miscalculation there, _ Your Highness _. Combat has to be witnessed by at least one person from each kingdom to be declared a fair duel - to the world, this is just attempted murder in cold blooded revenge,” Elijah spat. “Your only possible tie is dead, so once word of this gets out...you can be assured that whoever takes over my throne will be sure to continue it.”

The prince laughed and dragged Elijah to his feet, "You're making the assumption that I give a fuck what people think. Everyone hates me already, most people in my kingdom believed I murdered my brother and parents and fled the country, you really think this is going to change any more minds? I'm a very scary man, Elijah. How did you miss that in all your research?" He then pulled Elijah upright and whispered into his ear threateningly. "Oh? Did I forget to mention Gavin's not really dead? My bad."

“I’m not even fucking surprised - a cockroach is always the hardest to kill,” Elijah growled. “Though I am curious...how did you come across both of my assassins? I knew one would be obvious, but the second was to wait for if the first failed.”

"What can I say? I'm very skilled," Nines sneered, while sending a silent prayer that his staff were still good on protecting Gavin. They'd not seen another assassin before, he could only hope they'd intercepted them. "Now, how much am I going to let you bleed out before I finally decide which boat we're going to ride on?"

“A boat huh? How exactly do you intend for me to get down there without arousing suspicion or me bleeding to death? It’s clear you have very little skill with a blade, or you’d know that this wound will be fatal within half an hour if untreated,” Elijah goaded.

Nines rolled his eyes while sighing. "You're a downright moron if you haven't figured out I know how to stitch a goddamned flesh wound." He then started dragging Elijah towards the secret hallway with the unbroken entrance. "God, keep talking and I may actually let you bleed out and tell Gavin it was an accident."

“Never know, I might annoy you enough that you lose your temper - I hear you almost skewered Gavin after I rebranded him with being a bit too hasty,” Elijah snapped as he was dragged. Nines hummed as he attempted to ignore the king, agitation prickling under his skin. He was really pushing himself to not fire a bullet between the king’s eyes. 

He instead looked at Elijah and smiled, hoping to give off the _ 'I'm not stuck with you, you're stuck with me' _ vibe. "There was skewering involved but it sure wasn't with a needle, if my experience is anything to go off," he winked and let out a drawn out sigh, "I _ guess _I could have been a bit too hasty. Sure felt that one the next morning."

Elijah screwed his face in disgust. “You’re both whores - you do realise that whatever is between you is a fantasy, right? He was looking for an escape and you were starved of any companionship. There’s nothing lasting there, it’ll be ash before the year is out.”

"Possibly," Nines mused as he took a sharp turn in the hallway, trying to get them somewhere with a first aid kit. "It is better to love and to have lost than to have never loved at all. Even if we fall out of love in marriage, it is still better than any prince or princess I could have been betrothed to. To have never been in love at all was a fate I was all too comfortable with until Gavin."

“I’ll give you one thing - despite all you’ve seen, you still hold a little bit of faith in the world. Fuck knows how,” Elijah laughed quietly.

"I'm an artist. Therefore I'll always be a little soft," Nines noted as he kicked a door open, which was to one of the spare bedroom. He ungracefully threw Elijah against the wall and retrieved a first aid kit. Nines looked at Elijah and frowned severely. "I wish I could just let you die, but I think it's about time you get a tiny taste of what it's like to be Gavin," he sneered as he pulled out a needle with a cold smile.

“I’ve been trained as an assassin - pain mastery is one of the first things we are taught. How do you think I knew just how to hurt him?” Elijah taunted. “Oh, I meant to ask. How did it feel watching Gavin stab himself? I can only assume you didn’t do it yourself from your reactions.”

Nines stabbed the needle into Elijah's still bleeding wound with intent before he grabbed another and strung it. "Do you want to die? Is that like a thing you want?" he bit out as he shook his head. "How'd it feel when you learned Chloe betrayed you?" he countered as he set a stitch.

“Chloe is a gentle soul, I always figured this path would be too much for her in the end. She’s not one for the gruesomeness of war. I just hope that she finds peace wherever she has gone,” he lamented a little sadly.

The prince set a few more stitches in before he answered. "You really do understand things didn't have to be like this, don't you? You could have just left Gavin to his life and we both know you would have been able to kill him if he ever had the sense to try to overthrow you. Chloe wouldn't have left you and I wouldn't have lost almost my whole family." Nines paused as he wiped at the blood. "Do you regret anything?"

“Regrets are not something I ever indulge in. I make my choice, I live by that choice. Looking back and wondering ‘what if’ just leads to doubt, something I could ill afford as a King. You won’t be aware of the true pressures that rest in your brother’s shoulders," Elijah pointed out wistfully. "As for leaving Gavin alone...I was 18 when I chose this path, it became a part of my life. Some things you just embrace because you feel that you have nothing else.”

Nines hummed in thought. "I was 18 when I joined the army; so, I actually hate to say it, but I understand that part. That doesn't mean I hate you any less for it." He'd made quick work of most of the gash by this point.

Elijah chuckled. “What a surprise," he stated while rolling his eyes. He hesitated a little before looking at Nines seriously. “I don’t want to know where she is, but she is safe, yes?”

The prince paused, thinking over his answer before deciding there was no merit to lying. "Yes," he said finally and slowly.

“Good,” Elijah said warmly with a wry smile before looking away again.

Nines tied the last stitch and didn't bother patching it up beyond that. He then drew his knife before grasping the back of Elijah's shirt. "Try escaping and I undo the stitches, leaving you to bleed out and let my guards have at you," Nines threatened as he started dragging Elijah towards the exit.

Elijah scoffed in amusement. “And where am I going to have the pleasure of languishing, prey tell?”

"You’ll find out soon enough, asshole," Nines sneered. He opened the door of the regular hallway and started towards where he assumed Connor would be, not caring at that point if anyone saw him dragging a bloody and prone king behind him.


	24. Too Little, Too Late

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> **Skye: Yeah...you're all liable to want to kill us after this chapter. Please bear in mind ALL of the tags heading into this chapter. **
> 
> **And you might want to have some tissues on standby.**

“Going to show off your catch to the older brother, huh?” Elijah jeered. “Never know, he might actually have some good news and Gavin’s died of his wounds in the meantime,” he taunted, biting his cheek to not hiss as Nines dragged him with no mercy.

"Do you know how to shut up?" Nines groaned. "Keep fucking talking, I'm going to gag and hog tie you."

“Ugh, I don’t need to know what you and Gavin got up to-“ Elijah quickly shut up when he saw Allen emerge from a nearby corridor, looking severe. 

The guard’s face picked up a little at the sight of the new duo and he turned to jeer at the King. “Well, well...nice prize, Nines. Can I get first shot at taking a swipe at him?” Allen’s arm and leg were covered in blood, and he was limping slightly. The sight was worrying. 

Elijah smirked in triumph, realising what had happened. “You didn’t seriously think that was it, did you?”

"I'm going to gag him and make Connor deal with him," Nines smiled devilishly while ignoring Elijah. "Wanna cut his ponytail off?"

“I think Rose has already called that,” Allen smirked. “She’s more than a little pissed.” He then sobered up a little and gave Nines a severe look. “You..might want to hurry up with delivering him to Connor though. There’s somewhere else you need to be.”

"I had a feeling," Nines nodded solemnly. "Go and get cleaned up, Fletcher." He didn't wait for a response before he started dragging Elijah again.  A few minutes later he all but kicked the door to the war room open with a wide smile. "I brought a gift for you Connor!”

Elijah rolled his eyes at the tone and hissed as Nines threw him to the ground, his wounds being agitated from the rough actions. “Spiteful bastard...” he muttered bitterly. 

Hank looked between Elijah and Nines with a raised eyebrow. “A little dramatic, don’t you think?” he asked with a slight gruffness, but there was an impressed glint in his eyes.

Nines actually laughed in reply. "Considering I used grenades and my gun, probably," he agreed with a wry smile. 

Connor stared before them in shock, it being evident on his face. "I can't believe you actually went and did it," he whispered in astonishment. 

The prince shrugged. "I can. I've had enough of him trying to kill me and Gavin," Nines pointed out. 

"Reasonable," he relented before he turned to Hank and nodded, after which he looked back at Nines. "You used grenades in my castle?" 

"Two of them to be exact," Nines informed them. "Also, whoever cleans that room needs to wear face masks, it's covered in Jericho Dust."

Hank’s eyes narrowed. “Jericho Dust is nasty shit, we’ll make sure it’s properly disposed of.” He then spun to Connor with a serious expression. “Where do you want him held in the meantime, and what do we do about the rest of his staff? Could we be looking at them trying to stage a breakout attempt?”

Connor hummed contemplation before deciding. "We'll send them back on the next train. I don't punish without a crime." He then sent a pointed look at the rival king, barely concealing his disgust. "Would it be ridiculous to put him in the tower with a retinue of guards?" 

"I think we need to send him to Wreckage," Nines suggested nastily. 

"I'll have to think about that," Connor mused, finding some merit to the suggestion.

“Wreckage, huh? I think that could be quite a pleasant trip,” Elijah mused with a smirk.

Nines snorted and rolled his eyes at Elijah's statement. "Of course you'd fucking say that." He then tipped the king over with a kick to his side, taking delight in the dark look aimed his way. Nines they looked back up to the others. "Connor, Hank, Have fun. I have somewhere I need to be."

“Shame we aren’t going to get to fight a war after all,” Elijah taunted as Nines started walking away. “I wouldn’t have played around with you next time!”

The prince flipped the king off as he walked away. "Three years on the western border says fuck you."  Elijah’s laughter followed Nines down the corridor as he headed back towards the medical wing, and things were sombre when he arrived.  Kara, Luther And Rose were all quietly talking and looked up when Nines arrived. 

Rose stood and came to greet him with a tight smile. “You look like you’ve been through hell,” she commented softly, running her eyes across Nines' form.

"Elijah has a taste for Jericho Dust and throwing knives," Nines cut right to the chase. He looked around and tried to read the room, not liking the expressions on everyone's faces. "What's the news?"

Not wanting to pass the news along so publicly, Rose pulled Nines further through the wing and away from prying eyes. When they came to a stop, she brought him in for a hug. “He’s getting weaker. They-they don’t think he’ll last any more than a few hours," she told Nines sadly. "Allen intercepted another assassin, but we have no idea what they did. He arrived too late.  I-I think you need to get ready to say goodbye,” she sniffed.

Nines stiffened in Rose's arms. He had a feeling this was going to happen, but that hadn't stopped him from wishing with all of his being that it could be stopped. "Okay, I-I'll do my best," he hugged her tighter. "Thanks for everything, Mum." Nines swallowed back a fresh wave of tears; he couldn't mourn yet, it wasn't time.

“Gavin’s drifting in and out of sleep,” she told him with restrained tears of her own. “I’d think carefully about what you want to say to him. They don’t know how much longer he’ll stay awake for - and I know you’ve always regretted not getting to say goodbye before.” The ‘to Cecil’ part went unsaid, this was not the time to bring that up.

"Okay," Nines said simply, knowing full well how right she was. "I'm going to go see him." He slipped out of her arms and towards the room where Gavin was, taking several deep breaths before he pushed the door open.

Gavin had been moved to a private area of the wing, and it afforded them complete privacy. He was lying tilted up slightly, half-asleep as he just drifted along in his numb state. Vaguely aware of the door opening but not that interested in more doctors poking and prodding at him, he stayed as he was - not that he had much energy to move anyway.  Nines swallowed around the lump in his throat as he slowly approached the bed. "Hey, Gav," he whispered with a small smile.

The other man's eyes fluttered open at the familiar voice and Gavin looked at Nines in equal parts shock and horror. “Ni?” he croaked breathily. “What happened to you?” Gavin shifted a hand to reach for Nines but even that seemed impossible now with his limbs feeling like lead.

Nines sat down on the edge of the bed and quickly gathered the smaller man in his arms. "Nothing to worry about. I'm just here to see you, love." He relished in the feel of Gavin in his arms, taking in as much of the contact as he possibly could.

Gavin laughed breathily and smiled up at Nines. “Well, there ain’t much to see here. Just me kind drifting in and out of sleep is all,” he joked faintly. “At least nothing hurts anymore...”

"That's something." Nines lightly kissed the soft smile on Gavin's face as he went on. "But right now I'm looking at my whole world. That's a lot to see in my opinion."

Wheezing a little, Gavin turned into Nines more. “You went and fought Elijah, didn’t you?” he panted. “Did you kill him?”

The prince let out a choked sound: he hadn't expect to be called out so quickly. "I did," he whispered, "but no, I didn't kill him."

Gavin smiled into his chest, equal parts sad and proud. “I figured you wouldn’t...you’ve seen too much death already. What’s...going to happen with him now and my homeland?” he asked slowly.

Nines held onto Gavin tighter, trying to hold him as close as possible. "We'll see, Connor's sorting that out." He laced a hand into Gavin's messy hair and started to run through the strands. "C-can we talk about something else? Anything?"

“What do you...want to talk about? I can’t...thinking’s difficult right now...” Gavin’s breathing was getting fainter and he was struggling to stay awake.  Nines felt a few tears prick at the corners of his eyes as he realised Gavin was getting weaker and weaker.

"Did I ever tell you the story of when Cecil released all the horses into the ballroom? Because that was a mess," the prince offered, to which  Gavin let out a half-hearted laugh. 

“Did anything...survive? And was that such...a clever...idea?” He then coughed viciously, gasping at the pain it caused. “What...what is this stuff, Ni? This powder...It kinda burns...”

Nines cursed himself for not having changed, he hadn't even thought about it in his addled state. "Uh, give me a second. Just take a few deep breaths and it'll go away." He stood up slowly as he laid Gavin back down, stripping his shirt and armour. "There we go. No more powder now. " Nines sat back down on the bed gently and gathered Gavin once more.

“You’re warm...” Gavin smiled. “You were...horses?”

Laughing a little, Nines smiled back. "We weren't horses, you goose. We let horses loose in the ballroom." He then leaned forward and kissed Gavin gently. "I love you, Gav."

Gavin faintly smiled back at Nines as they parted again. "I love you...too, Ni..." Gavin shivered a little in Nines' arms. "It's getting cold...Or is that just me...?"

Nines let out a tiny choked noise. That was a bad sign. "Yeah, fall's coming soon. It's a bit chilly," he said through a broken laugh. "It may not be helping that I'm not wearing a shirt." He gently stroked Gavin's clammy chin, trying to hold the tears back until he could cry in private. Now wasn't the time.

Feeling Nines shaking, Gavin stretched up as best he could with his hand to try and catch Nines' own. "Ni...can you...I want you to tell me something... But I don't..." Gavin shuddered and dragged in a wheezing breath. "I don't know if it's...fair to ask..."

"Ask me anything, love," Nines whispered, giving Gavin's hand a small squeeze in reassurance.

Gavin smiled softly at Nines, his eyes going a little distant. "What would our wedding...be like? I've never...I've not seen one before..."

Nines blinked rapidly as images of Gavin in royal wedding garb came to mind. A bright red sash, gold buttons, a bright smile on his face. The outfit topped off with him wearing the crown they already decided was his. 

Tears finally started to fall down Nines' face, but that didn't stop him. "Well, the whole capital city would be there. Nobles would come in from across the continent. Y-you'd be dressed up for your f-first day as a prince: wearing a white suit with gold buttons and chains... I'd have one to match, but I'd wear blue and you'd wear r-red," A wet chuckle escaped him. "You'd probably be the one to walk down the aisle, I'd be waiting up by the p-priest. I would be smiling.... You'd have f-flowers..." Nines cracked and he let out a sob, to hide the obvious tears he buried his head into the crook of Gavin's neck as h e held the smaller man even tighter. "It's going to be the best day of our lives," he whispered.

"It sounds perfect..." Gavin sighed, a couple of his own tears falling too. "Being your husband is...Just how it sounds, makes me feel like I'm home..." 

_**Husband.** _The word rattled around in Nines' head and he let out another tiny sob. "Yeah, you're my home, Gavin. I love you so much." He kissed gently at Gavin's neck, not sure what else to do.

Something then occurred to Gavin. "Ni...Elijah's gone, isn't he? Am I...Am I free?" he asked breathily.

Nines nodded to him. "Yeah, you're free now. He'll never hurt you again. I promise you that," Nines swore.

Gavin let out a tiny laugh and stared at the roof above him, savouring the warmth that Nines afforded through the numbness which had consumed him. Elijah was gone.  "I'm free..." he whispered as a sense of peace like he'd never known washed over him. He was free, held in the arms of the person he loved more than anyone. With that peace came a pit of nothingness and Gavin could feel the world slipping away from him. Despite still having so much he wanted to say and share with Nines, he couldn't fight it anymore. 

As his eyes slipped closed, he went limp and breathless in Nines' arms.

Nines felt the moment it happened: the moment that Gavin let out his last soft breath.  _ He  **felt ** _ _it._

He sobbed openly as he clutched Gavin to his chest, rocking his fiance as he sobbed. Nines knew that the love of his life was dead. Despite everything, no one could save him, not even Nines. A man who had everything, but now a man with nothing. He'd only gotten a few days of happiness, barely a tease.  All he had left was a broken heart and a head full of impossible dreams. He felt so  **cheated.** How could fate be so cruel? Giving him this and then cruelly ripping it away. What had they done to deserve this?

The prince didn't know how long he sobbed, holding Gavin tightly, but soon he was strung out and had nothing left to give but hiccups.  He finally loosened his grip on Gavin and looked at his face. Gavin looked peaceful, like he'd died happy - which Nines liked to believe he had. He gently laid Gavin down and covered him up with a blanket up to his chest. 

If Nines didn't know any better he'd say Gavin was just sleeping, but he did know better. He placed a final soft kiss on Gavin’s lips and then one on his forehead. After that he stood up and decided that he had to get away. He didn't need to see anyone else. He didn't want to talk to anyone.  Nines didn't want to be there anymore. 

Grabbing his shirt he fled the room, sparing a final glance at what could have been.

* * *

Rose was worried as she let Nines go ahead, but she'd been adamant that the prince get time with Gavin given what was likely to come.  She hated thinking that Nines was about to lose the person he loved above all else - after everything else he'd lost, she didn't know how he would cope. 

After an hour had gone by Rose eventually decided that it was worth checking in on them. Knocking on the door lightly, she frowned when she didn't get an answer. Opening it, she gasped in horror at seeing Gavin lying on the bed and Nines nowhere in sight. "Nines?" she called, but it was clear from one look around the room that the prince was nowhere to be seen. 

Rose walked up to the bed and tears ran down her face as she took in Gavin's expression. "Oh you poor boys...you both deserved so much better," she sniffled, while running a hand over Gavin's hair. 

Turning and running back out the room, Rose shouted for help. "Get a red alert out, the Prince is missing! Notify the King immediately that Prince Nines has vanished, he may not be safe!" 

Rose just prayed that Nines wasn't a danger to himself at the moment - she could only wonder what the grief was doing to him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> _Take note of what tags are above, and more importantly what **isn't** there._
> 
> That angst with a happy ending tag isn't a lie - this story is far from over!


	25. Night of the Broken Hearted

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yikes, we're both so sorry for this chapter taking so long! We'd intended to update this fic soon after the previous chapter as it ended at such a shitty point but like just got away from us, we didn't have the time to refine this chapter to the standards we both want.
> 
> In saying that...I hope you're all ready for some angst. This chapter is going to bite after the events of the last one!

Connor wasn't aware of the heartbreak that had occured in the castle as a guard burst into the tower he, Hank, and Elijah were in. "Your Majesty." The guard's voice was strained as he continued. "I have some rather unsettling news. The man, Gavin I believe, has passed away and Prince Nines has gone missing. We believe he has taken Dancer and fled." 

The king stood up slowly and swallowed down a surge of emotions as he processed the news. "Thank you. Send a small party out to look for him. Dismissed." The guard bowed and left, after which Connor turned to Hank. "Nines has left again it seems."

Hank sighed. “You’ve seen how emotional he’s been with everything since Elijah’s entourage arrived. It was pretty damn obvious that Nines had fallen for Gavin deeply. As if him challenging Elijah to a duel wasn’t evidence enough - Nines is grieving, Connor, I can’t blame him for wanting some space. I know I would want some if...” Hank tailed off, knowing Connor would understand. 

Elijah sat in the corner, quietly mulling over the news as Connor let out a sad sigh. "I sent the guards on a goose chase. Nines is probably drinking." The king sat down, despondent, and put his head in his hands. "Fuck, Hank, I don't think he's going to want to come back after this."

“There is a realistic chance of that,” Hank admitted. “He had almost nothing holding him here before, and this place would only remind him.” Hank sighed in resignation. “What do you want us to do with the body?”

Connor shook his head and rubbed at his eyes. "Hell if I know, Hank. It's not like we can have a funeral for him. What am I going to say to the people in the castle? 'Oh, this is Prince Richard's lover. He was a bastard prince from another kingdom and he's dead now because his brother murdered him, after which Richard stabbed said king and is not here right now'?"

Elijah snorted from the other side of the room at overhearing their conversation. “It does sound rather ridiculous. In my kingdom we don’t hold funerals for slaves, they aren’t people. We just toss them in the sea or feed them to the hounds.” 

Hank screwed his nose up in disgust. “You’re a freak - he was your brother! How are you so uncaring about this?” 

“He was a ghost that never should have been. I must admit though, I am somewhat...perplexed by my own reaction,” Elijah stated mysteriously.

Connor looked at Elijah and snorted. "It's called grief," he sneered. "I used to wonder why we received such a large amount of refugees from Cybera and now I know. If this is how you treat your own flesh and blood, I can't imagine how you treat your people."

“Anyone who didn’t wish to play some part in the war was free to leave, I held no objection to them moving on,” Elijah told them pointedly. “What I would not tolerate was dead weight. You call them ‘refugees’, I called them people who would not do their duty for their country,” he chuckled darkly. “They weren’t mouths for me to feed or be responsible for anymore once they crossed the border.”

Gardenia's king stared wide eyed at the tied up man, before he looked at Hank as if to confirm that he'd heard correctly. Given Hank's equally shocked expression, he had. Connor ran a hand down his face in exhaustion. "I can't believe this." He then let out a sudden snort. "I bet you were thrilled when the news spread about my parents and brother getting killed, and with it the small conflict between us and Jericho exploded."

“It made for a lovely increase in my own firearms business,” Elijah smiled menacingly, “and offered some beautiful opportunities at infiltration. You may have caught a handful of my spies over the years, but I succeeded with far more. Not all are cut out for war. Some go out of their way to avoid it, while others thrive off it. I think you can guess which side of the fence I fall on - the same as your brother, it turns out,” he taunted.

"Interesting detail. I bet selling those guns was extremely profitable," Connor mused, his Intel had stated there was an unknown supplier of firearms outside of Jericho. Now he knew who, but it wasn't going to do much good now. Once Elijah was dealt with, the wars would be over. "Nines always had trouble finding somewhere he fit in as a noble and if being a war counsel and a general works for him, so be it."

Elijah smirked in triumph. "From the sounds of it, your brother has completely taken off. I doubt he'll be doing much of anything." 

Hank glowered at him in disgust. "You're a complete ass."

Connor, for once, agreed with Elijah. "He'll come back. Be it he gets shot again or something else drastic. He'll be back."

A snort showed what Elijah thought of that sentiment. "Let's see if that back is with him still breathing or as a corpse to join his dead whore."

"Oh fuck you."

* * *

There was a cloaked figure hidden in the corner of a tavern. Many of the people there knew of Niles, but after an icy glare and him ordering several drinks, no-one dared to go near him. He was fine with that, he was well on his way to getting wasted.

Nines had been there for almost an hour when another figure entered, looking for a contact to help start her way to building a new life in Connor's kingdom. While Chloe did not regret giving Nines the book to reveal Elijah's plans and Gavin's true past, she did regret the friends that it meant she had to leave behind. There were several people that she was going to miss dearly. Still, at least she hoped that Gavin would remain. She couldn't see him going back after everything, even once he learned that he was technically Elijah's heir and the kingdom could be his. Besides, Gavin had Nines here. Chloe knew how much the pair loved each other and doubted anything would tear them apart willingly.

While casting her eyes across the room, Chloe locked on to the huddled figure of Nines in the corner. Mystified as to how he could be _ there _given everything that would surely be going on at the castle, she approached the bartender and asked him a question. "Excuse me," she asked softly, "but what's up with Niles? He seems...upset and angry?"

The bartender, Jack as he was known, sighed. "I have no idea, but considering he is on his sixth stout of the night, upset and angry seems about right."

Chloe winced at the information. "That's not like him...Did he not want company? What about all of his friends?"

"You're right it's not like him, but it seems he doesn't want the company. You can always go ask him yourself, but given the cloak and the fact he looks like he's been crying it may not be the best idea," Jack advised.

_ Crying? _Chloe thought in horror. "Thanks," she replied quietly before stepping away from the bar. Steeling herself, she walked over to Nines in the corner and called out to him as gently as she could. "Niles?"

Nines heard his name and looked up with a glare over the top of his tankard. He saw Chloe and frowned: he'd fucking forgot he'd sent her here. "Go talk to Jack, the bartender, he's the one who can help you," he slurred out as his eyes fell back down to his drink.

"I have," she said softly, "he's been sorting me out. Niles, what are you doing here? Shouldn't you be back home?" The haunted look in Nines' eyes was scaring her. Something was very wrong.

The prince didn't have the energy for this. "Nothin' left for me there," he whispered before he took another long drink.

Coming in closer, Chloe started whispering right next to him. “What do you mean nothing left? You have your brother, your home. You have Gavin-“

**"Gavin's ** ** _dead," _ **Nines bit out fiercely, even with the effects of the alcohol. A few other patrons even looked their way at the outburst.

Chloe paled in shock. “No...no he can’t be! Did Cornelius not manage to help him in time?” she begged, distraught.

Nines looked at her with a drunk glare. "What the fuck are you talking about? Can't you see I'm trying to grieve?" He waved her away darkly. "I say this in the kindest way I can, but please fuck off."

Suspecting something was amiss from the short time that she’d spied in at the castle to check Gavin’s condition and sending help in the form of Cornelius, Chloe shook Nines to get him to look at her. “I can’t, not until you tell me exactly what happened to him. How did Gavin...die?” she finished in a much softer tone than the demand she’d started with. 

The drunken man couldn't believe what was happening: he'd left the castle to avoid recounting those horrors. Resolute on ignoring Chloe, he stood up on wobbly legs and started towards the exit.

_ He couldn't do this, not so soon. _

Chloe followed him, realising that Nines was intending on leaving. Once they were outside the door, however, she grabbed him and swung Nines into the side of the tavern; the prince caught off guard and unbalanced in his drunken state. “Tell me! This is important, Richard!” she hissed, making sure no-one would hear her.

Nines sneered, his temper flaring. He angrily pulled his hood down, tears pricking in the corners of his eyes as he all but broke. **"He died in my fucking ** ** _arms, _ ** **Chloe!"** he screamed before he grew much quieter. "He was rambling about our wedding and how excited he was for it! T-then he talked about how it getting cold and his last f-fucking works were 'I'm free', then he w-went limp and stopped b-breathing!" He was openly sobbing again, hands clenched at his sides as he fought through the emotions.

A little went on in Chloe’s eyes - everything lined up. “Richard, was there anyone that tried to approach Gavin before you got there? Someone who made sure that Gavin inhaled something?” She had a bad feeling that she knew the answer to this question, but Chloe needed confirmation.

**"I don't know!" **Nines heaved, his hands going to his hair. He was getting borderline inconsolable at this point. "So much happened to Gavin over the last few days! I have no idea! He was just so fucking broken by the time he ended up in that fucking hospital bed a cold breeze could have done him in!"

Seeing how worked up and devastated Nines was, Chloe let him go and hugged him tightly instead. She wasn’t convinced that he wasn’t going to break apart on the spot if she wasn’t careful. Nines froze for a moment before he accepted the hug. He continued to cry and just absorbed the comfort: he couldn't think straight enough to really do much else. Swallowing hard, Chloe braced herself for a violent reaction to what she was about to say. This probably wasn’t going to end well. “Richard, we need to go back to the castle,” she whispered into his ear. “You might not have lost everything.”

Nines pulled back quickly with **rage **coursing through him: he should have known the comfort was nothing but a ploy. He shook his head, causing him to lose a little bit of his balance. "If this is about Connor I swear to God."

“No! No that isn’t any of my business and I wouldn’t want to get mixed up in politics again!” Chloe insisted. “I’ve had enough of that to do me a lifetime.” She gently placed her hands on Nines' cheeks, making sure he was looking at her. “I was asking so many questions about Gavin because he might not be dead. Your fiancé might still be up there, just sleeping and dreaming about you.”

Nines stared at the blonde woman in horror. He suddenly, once again, decided he didn't have to listen to this anymore. The prince turned around rapidly and started to stumble away. He wouldn't be the best at riding while _ this _ drunk, but he couldn't seem to care.

"Shit, I should have figured that would happen," Chloe chastised herself before she ran after Nines. With him so inebriated at least he was easy to catch up to. She managed to grab him again. When Nines struggled she ducked under a delirious swipe and pinned him to the wall again._"Listen to me!" _she demanded. "You know what Elijah did with poisons, you know what sort of person he is! He devised one which he called Red Ice. It gives people the appearance and characteristics of death!"

"Red Ice isn't real," Nines replied defiantly.

"You would know it was if you'd read through all of his journal! I know he wrote its inception down, how he discovered it completely by accident trying to come up with a weapon for the war," Chloe told him. "Was Gavin clammy and cold? Did he seem mildly delirious and struggling for concentration? Did he just seem to give up without warning? That's what Red Ice does!"

"Well, sorry I didn't have time for Elijah's little black book. Considering Gavin was _ dying!" _he screamed. "And yes those were his fucking symptoms of, ya know, **shock." **He took a step towards her and felt a migraine forming behind his eyes. "I've seen plenty of people die, Chloe. Lots of people go out while in shock."

“So have I,” she snapped back, “I ended up tending to hundreds of our soldiers during the war. Did someone check?” she demanded as she clocked a figure in the background. “Did someone actually check if he was gone? Or did he just seem to stop breathing and...” She knew she didn’t have to finish that.

Nines let out a broken sob as he snapped. "I checked! _ Me. _ What else do you want from me? I don't have anything for you!" he sobbed, his vision was starting to black out in spots and his alcohol riddled brain couldn't seem to understand.

Chloe looked at Nines imploringly. “Please, I just want to make sure that you’re not going through unnecessary grief! I sent Gavin help, I can’t believe that he would have died after that!”

"Unnecessary? _ Unnecessary?" _Nines sneered, wobbling on his feet. "If me or my doctor's couldn't save him sure as shit your voodoo bullshit couldn't!"

Realising that something was off, Chloe tried to steady him. “Richard, are you feeling more drunk or are you getting unwell?” He was acting decidedly unsteady.

"I'd fucking say I'm unwell _ and _ drunk," Nines declared, finally deciding he'd had enough and started to walk towards the bar. "Fuck you, by the way," he let out as one final angry call out. He got barely another two steps before the world tilted to the side and everything went black.

“Shit!” Chloe got herself under Nines and managed to prop herself under him so that he didn’t clatter hard on the ground, but it left her in the awkward position of being stuck holding him up. “That could have gone better,” Chloe sighed while looking over at the figure which was still hovering in the background. “Are you going to give me a hand or not?” 

Allen emerged awkwardly from the shadows and walked over to assist. “You’re sharp,” he complimented while helping take Nines’ weight. 

“Elijah showed me much of his assassin training, it’s how I managed to not be seen by Nines this whole time,” she noted while checking Nines’ pulse. “I think he’s just passed out. We need to get him back to the castle.” 

“I’m not sure he’ll thank you for it...” Allen commented. 

“Make sure this isn’t anything sinister first and he can hunt me down later. I also need to see something,” Chloe stated determinedly. 

“What could you need to see...?” Allen wondered, suspicious. 

“I need to see if Gavin is really dead.”

Allen blinked and simply nodded. "Okay, but I'm going to accompany you." He then looked from Chloe to Nines' prone form. "I've never seen him like this before: he's usually very composed and quiet. He's not handling this well, as you have already seen. Let's grab his horse and get back."

Nodding, Chloe helped get Nines sling over Allen’s shoulder. “Can I ask you something?” 

The guard regarded her curiously as he debated his answer. “Depends on what you wish to ask,” he told her honestly. 

“Did you find another man who tried to make Gavin inhale a powder? A young man with tanned skin?” she asked quietly.

Allen’s eyes darkened. “I did, and I ended him for his deeds. I believed him to be another assassin.” 

Chloe’s eyes welled in regret, wishing her friend hadn't met such an untimely end. “Oh Cornelius...Did he succeed?” 

“Why should I tell you?” Allen demanded. “When you clearly had a hand in this, why should I not have you brought in as an accomplice?” 

“You can feel free to check yourself when we get back. If Gavin inhaled the Red Ice, then he’s alive,” she told him shortly. “It makes a person’s breath negligible and their heart slows so much that it barely beats: even then it is incredibly faint. It’s almost like an animal going into hibernation. Unless you knew, you’d think the person is dead,” Chloe finished. 

“This seems fanciful,” Allen told her snappishly. 

“Then do this when you get back - a corpse doesn’t bleed, and neither does it have warmth. If Gavin’s still warm and he bleeds from a small wound to the arm, then he’s alive. If you don’t trust me then I’ll remain here, but _ please _check him. For Nines’ sake if nothing else,” Chloe begged.

Allen gave her a steely eyed glare and then sighed. "Fine, but you're staying here. I can't risk anything else going wrong in the castle. I'm sure word will make it back to one way or another," he told her sternly.

Chloe nodded in acquiescence. “I’ll be around the town. Please, just look after them. They deserve a happy ending after all this."

The guard nodded sadly. "I completely agree. This whole thing has been unfair, but a lot of things that have happened to the Arkait family over the years have been unfair." He shook his head to chase away a lot of ill timed memories. "I'm sure you already know that."

“I do, and I know from Elijah’s journal what role he personally played in a lot of people’s misery. Including yours,” Chloe replied sullenly. She then took a few steps back. “You’d better go. I hope he recovers soon - and that so does Gavin. I truly believe he’s alive. Be safe.”

With that, Chloe turned and ran into the distance.

Allen sighed as he watched the blonde retreat. Recent events have been bringing back a lot of old memories and it was causing him...difficulties. He looked at the slack face Nines and blinked those memories away - there would be time for that later. Allen dragged the prince over to Dancer, who was still saddled and packed from where the horse was tied to the water trough. He sat the prince down against the tub and unceremoniously splashed a bit of water on his face, hoping to wake him up

Nines sputtered and blinked awake rapidly. His hand went to his head and then all at once he paled, turning over and emptying his stomach onto the ground. The prince let out a loud groan as he finally settled back down from the bout of vomiting. "What the fuck?" he muttered, trying to regain his bearings.

The guard grabbed Nines and hauled him back to his feet, managing to work around the lack of co-ordination from the other man. “Come on, Nines. We need to get you back to the castle,” he stated quietly while shoving Nines towards Dancer. Nines groaned and refused to move correctly while biting out a response.

"Excuse me for this one time of being a bratty royal," he huffed while rolling his eyes and crossing his arms. "I don't want to and you can't make me."

“You’re such a pain in the ass when you’re drunk,” Allen muttered to himself before shoving Nines a bit more forcefully. “I’ve been ordered by Connor to take you back for the night. If you’re still adamant about leaving after that, he said you were free to do as you please,” he went on as they came to a stop next to Dancer.

Nines groaned as he leaned his head on his horse and gave her a few scratches. "Fletcher, I will never be able to do as I please," he stated despondently. Nines attempted to mount his horse, eventually succeeding if messily. He then offered a hand to Allen. "You're steering."

Allen smiled sympathetically and mounted behind Nines. “I think this time is different, Nines. Connor knows that you have no will whatsoever to remain, as do we all. I don’t think anyone is expecting you to stay anymore. He asks that you come back so he may have the chance to say goodbye, if you are adamant on leaving,” Allen finished softly.

The prince frowned a bit as he noted he'd have to steer but was too drunk to fight Allen over it. He rubbed his eyes while trying to make himself more aware. "I won't leave my kingdom without an heir. Regardless of how much I hate it at times, I still want what's best for my people." He gave Dancer a kick and drunkenly started towards the castle. "This prince does not have any more time for a broken heart."

Watching Nines stop moping and take control of Dancer had Allen laughing to himself, knowing that the Prince was just being petulant earlier. Still, he was keeping a close eye: Dancer was incredibly well behaved though, so he wasn’t overly concerned. “And that’s why you command such respect among those who follow you. We know you would never abandon us,” Allen told him.

"I know the same of you," Nines replied readily. He swallowed around his dry mouth, the majority of his drunken haze having faded and just leaving the faint awareness of his earlier episode. "I-I'll need a few days at least before I'm useful again."

Allen placed a hand on Nines’ shoulder. “I don’t think anyone expects anything of you for the next few days. Grief is a cruel vice, especially when so fresh. When we get back, Rose has called first shot at seeing you, however. She wouldn’t take no for an answer,” he laughed quietly. “She wants to see with her own two eyes that you haven’t hurt yourself.”

Nines grinned in appreciation: he would be lost without Rose. "I hope she doesn't include drinking until passing out and throwing up as 'hurting myself'." He saw the walls of the castle approaching and his throat closed up with a fresh wave of grief which struck him out of nowhere. **_ Fuck. _**

Feeling Nines go rigid again, Allen went on. “Well thanks to Chloe you don’t have any evidence of the fall and you’re sobering up, so I think you’ll be good as long as I don’t tell her,” he teased.

"She'll know. That's just a mum thing." Nines pulled through the gate and after a dirty look from a guard they were let in. He swallowed back another bout of tears before speaking up again. "Fletcher? Can I ask you a question?"

"You know you are free to ask me anything, Nines. I will be as helpful and honest as I can with you," Allen responded instantly as they came to a stop in the main yard of the stables.

Nines dismounted and waited for Allen to do so also. Once they were both on ground he turned to the other man with a broken expression. "How'd you do it? When Cecil..." He shook his head.

Allen closed his eyes and swallowed hard. Hearing his name again was incredibly hard after recent events and Allen clenched his fists tightly. "You know yourself that I really didn't handle it," he replied hoarsely. "I was completely devastated, thinking that I'd failed him and suffering the pain of being without him was my penance for that. It was only with everyone around me that I began to recover in any way, shape or form. The only thing I would suggest is that you don't try and hide from the pain. Try to celebrate his life and remember what you shared. He doesn't deserve for all that to be forgotten and buried - then the guilt really will eat you alive," the guard shared from his own sharp grief. It may have been years, but it still stung bitterly.

The prince nodded and ran a hand through his hair. "I feel so cheated," he grit out, "I barely had any time with him and I'm just so angry he had such a horrible life. All I did was give him hope for a better future, and then I got him killed for it." The guilt was already eating Nines alive.

"I feel that I bear a great deal of responsibility for his death," Allen replied through a harsh breath. "If I had stepped in to stop Elijah from torturing him rather than try to foolishly get help, then a great deal of this heartache may have been prevented." Allen sighed before going on. "I meant to ask before but...how did he end up getting stabbed?" he then asked quietly as he handed Dancer over to another servant and came back to Nines.

Nines' eyes clouded as he remembered the horrific events of earlier. "He... He stabbed himself."

"He just couldn't take it anymore?" Allen whispered back.

"No." Nines swallowed as he composed himself. "I don't remember the details, it was just too much, but he was so afraid of Elijah hurting me that he'd convinced himself if he was found as an obvious assassin, he'd expose Elijah's schemes. Which has been painfully correct."

Needing a few seconds to process that, Allen put a hand in the middle of Nines' back and guided him back inside the castle. "Then I suppose at least he didn't die for nothing. He's shown the world just what sort of man King Elijah is. For him to still have enough awareness after all that I could only imagine Elijah put him through…" Allen's hand shifted to Nines' shoulder. "It says a great deal about how much he loved you, that he was willing to make himself a sacrificial pawn to protect you."

"I didn't need protecting," Nines whispered, "I'd made that promise to him." He scrubbed at his face and adjusted his cloak. "I-I can't right now, I have to go see Rose."

"She said she'd be in your chambers - I think she's planning on using the routine to cope with all the emotions," Allen told him with a sad look. "Go to her, I think you both need it. There are things I need to do but there are guards posted at your door; I'll come join you soon." 

He couldn't help it - something about Chloe's certainty was haunting Allen. It was impossible, he'd seen Gavin himself: he was definitely dead. Still, he had to check to put this niggle in his mind to rest.

Nines gave Allen a bow and pulled the hood over his head and he started towards his room again, intent on finding what little respite he could to grieve.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> **Skye: So, fun fact. What Red Ice is capable of here is loosely based off a real, naturally occurring neurotoxin. If you want to look it up, have a check of tetrodotoxin - the poison that is present in pufferfish. While not an exact copy, some of the physical symptoms are directly inspired from that poison. I'm just bastardising it for fiction!**


	26. Harsh Truths

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello, we're back again!
> 
> **Skye: Just so you guys know, there are going to be some upsetting themes in this chapter. This one goes into more detail of how Elijah sabotaged Gavin's life, so please be aware heading in. Some of this is intentionally upsetting - Elijah is one nasty piece of work.**

The walk was brief and thankfully Nines only got pitying looks, no-one attempted to make any conversation - he couldn't handle them at the moment anyway. He pushed open the door to his room and sucked in a deep breath. Nines was going to move his chambers to somewhere else in the castle after this, there were too many memories within these four walls. "Mum?" he called out softly after the door clicked closed behind him.

Rose appeared from the bathroom, eyes puffy from recently crying, and she scowled at Nines as he reappeared. ** _"Where the hell have you been?"_ ** she demanded. "A foreign King has been trying to kill you, and you just up and vanish without someone to look after you! You're going to give me a heart attack one of these days with all your disappearing acts!" The anger then melted away and Rose walked over to hug Nines tightly. "Thank god you're safe," she finished emotionally.

"I should have taken up magic instead of painting," he joked as he wrapped her up in a hug.

"Then I would have to find a way to rig it so that you left floury footprints everywhere. I'm sure Kara and Luther could help me out with that," she pointed out. 

"For how often I was in the kitchen that wouldn't have been hard," Nines smiled. 

They stood there for several seconds before Rose ran a soothing hand over Nines' back and tackled the subject neither of them could avoid forever. "I'm so sorry," she whispered. "Neither of you deserved this."

"I know he didn't. God, I wish it was me instead," Nines gapped back. "He just wanted to not hurt and I couldn't even do that for him."

"You loved him, and it gave him such happiness. Please don't think that the tragic end to this changes any of that," she told Nines while pulling back to look at him. She reached into the pocket of her dress and pulled out the leather pendant which Nines had bought for Gavin during their day at the market. Rose then placed it in his hand gently. "We found this in your discarded armour - I thought you would want it back."

A quiet sob escaped him as he clutched it tightly. "I failed him. I promised to keep him safe and I couldn't. What do I do now, Mum?" he begged.

"You did all you could, honey, there was nothing more you could give. It just...cruelly, wasn't meant to be." Rose wiped a tear away as she took his hand. "There are no hard and fast rules for grief, I am afraid. Especially when it is the person you are in love with. All you can do for now is take it one day at a time. There are...other things to be dealt with soon, anyway," she finished in a darker tone. 

"As far as I know, Connor has not decided what to do with that madman. I almost wish you'd left him to die," she muttered bitterly. "It's what he deserves for all he's done."

"The world does not stop for a prince," Nines whispered back, the phrase his birth parents had him told over and over again oddly poignant at that point. "I'll deal with Elijah. A life for a life seems fair at this point."

"I don't know how you would manage to do it now, word has spread already of the King's incarceration and I think-" Before she could finish, the door to Nines' room burst open with a panting Allen on the side. 

"Nines, you've got to come down! It's-It's unbelievable! I don't know how but Chloe was telling the fucking truth, she was right! Gavin's alive!" he said at speed.

The prince blinked and stared at Allen, dumbfounded. _ "What?" _Chloe said what? And Gavin was alive? "T-That's impossible," he stuttered.

Allen beamed and shook his head. "Don't fucking ask me how, but it's true. She said that whatever substance the man she sent to Gavin made him inhale, it gave him symptoms similar to hibernation. His breathing is so faint that you'd think it wasn't there and you can only hear his heartbeat through a stethoscope, you can't feel it, but-" Slowing down, Allen took a deep breath and looked at Nines seriously. "He's alive. Whatever she did, Gavin is alive and he's stable. He's somehow cheated death and is still here."

Nines blinked and his hands went to his head as stress raced through his system. Half put together bits of a conversation with Chloe came to him in pieces, but none of it made sense. "I, what? Who did what to Gavin? What did Chloe say about Gavin?" He gave Allen a pleading look with barely contained hope. "He's alive?"

Realising that Nines was overwhelmed, Allen just nodded at him. The rest of the story could wait. "He's alive." 

Rose laughed in delight and then smacked Nines in the back. "Don't just stand around here, then! Your fiancé is waiting for you!" Nines stumbled forward and just nodded, not able to form words.

He refused to believe it until he heard Gavin's heart beat with his own ears.

When Nines arrived in the medical wing it was now a flurry of activity. There were doctors talking animatedly at the far end of the room and one spied Nines, approaching him at speed. "Prince Nines, Fletcher found you then!" he greeted while handing Nines a stethoscope. "He said you would be down soon. We don't understand it ourselves, at first appearance he seems dead! It was only when Fletcher pointed out that Gavin was still too warm for a corpse that we realised something was strange. Please, take all the time you need, we are still debating on how to proceed."

The doctor swung the door to the room open, allowing Nines to see Gavin on the bed; everyone else had cleared out to give Nines some space. Nines clutched a stethoscope to his chest and then looked at Gavin. He looked at the medical equipment one more before he shook his head: he couldn't bear the thought of hearing silence. 

Nines swallowed and took a step backwards out the door. Several startled doctors spotted him as he shoved the stethoscope back into one of their hands. _ "I can't," _he gasped before he was sprinting down the hallway. 

He bumped into Rose only one corridor along, and she looked at Nines' distraught face with trepidation. "Nines? Why are you...?"

The prince grabbed her shoulders for some much needed support. "I can't, Rose, _ I can't! _What if he's not alive and it's all a lie? I can't go through that again," he confessed, terrified.

Understanding his fear, Rose took Nines' hand. "Do you trust me?" she asked. "Would you believe me if I tried it first?"

Nines sighed and nodded slowly. "I don't think I have a choice, do I?"

She smiled at him and gently pulled Nines back towards the medical wing. "You do, of course you do, but you are letting a very reasonable fear cloud your judgement. Fletcher would not lie about something like this, and neither would all of the doctors. I believe it, even if it does seem impossible." Once inside, the doctors gave them space as Rose led Nines back inside the room. Knowing that Nines was still incredibly skittish, she let him stay by the door as she sat on the edge of the bed, next to Gavin. 

Taking a deep breath, she then placed the stethoscope in her ears before resting the other end on Gavin's chest. It was a good thirty seconds before she looked over at Nines and offered for him to listen. "Give it a few seconds, it's very faint," was all she said. When he still looked at her in disbelief, Rose raised an eyebrow while smiling at him. "I wouldn't be wanting you to come and listen to silence, would I?"

Nines reached out with a shaky hand and took the stethoscope. He sat down and gently placed it over Gavin's heart, gasping as he heard the soft and unmistakable beating of a heart. Tears sprung to his eyes and poured down his cheeks. _ "He's alive," _ he whispered slowly.

Rose nodded and rested her hand over Nines', her own tears falling. "He is. I'll give you some time, okay? Come get me if you need me." She then stood and left the room quietly, giving Nines space to come to terms with the astonishing turn of events.

He barely registered Rose leaving. His eyes were locked on a very much alive Gavin and the sound of his faint heartbeat, unable to tear himself away. Nines chuckled wetly and leaned forward to hugged Gavin gently.

"Oh, you bitch," he joked softly as he felt so much relief wash over him.

* * *

News was advancing through the castle quickly - but Allen made sure he got the personal honour of delivering it to Connor, Hank and Elijah. 

The group were still in the tower, and Allen made sure he had a broad smirk on his face as he appeared at the door. "Sorry to intrude, but it seems like there is one final twist to this little game of horrors that has been going on," he chirped. "It turns out that Gavin isn't dead - Elijah's servant, Chloe, slipped him something called Red Ice, and he's actually alive." 

Elijah saw red, figure hunching in fury. "Why the fuck would she give _ him _Red Ice?" he seethed.

"Gavin's alive?" Connor asked, completely ignoring Elijah: a skill he was thankful to have developed over the last few hours. "How is Nines? Where is he?"

"He's with Gavin now, he's been in there for a while. I think he's still in a little bit of shock but I've never seen him smile so much," Allen informed Connor with a grin. "I don't think he's going to be letting go of Gavin for a while." 

The deposed king scoffed. "He'll be waiting a while then. Red Ice isn't something you just wake up from."

Connor shot a look at Elijah. "Can I convince you to tell me more?"

"Depends entirely on how much of it she's given him. If Gavin's still alive then it won't be fatal, but he could be out for a few days. Could even be a few months. There's no way to stir them until the dosage has run its course," Elijah smirked. "I hadn't even realised that she'd been paying attention enough to know the dosages. Clever girl." He shook his head, amused and both saddened at the same time.

The younger king sighed but it was quickly accompanied by a devilish smile. "Well, it looks like you've lost this game officially, Elijah."

Elijah sneered and turned away, evidently deciding that he had no witty comeback for that one. Allen smirked and faced Connor once more. “What do you want done with the rest of King Elijah’s entourage? Do we think they are a threat?” he questioned.

Connor thought it over briefly. "Give them the option of going back or being faced with jail, I don't want them in my castle any longer." He then spun to his companion. "Looks like things are going to be changing, huh, Hank?"

Hank hummed in agreement. "That's very true, but you've still got two very big problems. One, what to do with this asshole," he said while pointing to Elijah. "Two, Nines has officially deposed him without making it a legitimate duel. That's almost as good as a declaration of war, especially with Elijah having no heir," Hank sighed. "This is going to be a huge fucking mess."

"You and I both happen to know that Elijah does happen to have an heir." Connor smirked at the other king. "An heir that my brother, a royal by blood, has taken a shining to: which could very well means that this could be smudged as a battle for Gavin's hand. I do believe that, since we are already at war, Elijah is therefore dethroned by both duel and eventual marriage."

Allen snickered while Hank smiled resignedly. "You just love giving me work to do in cleaning up messes," the older man sighed. "Fine, I'll make sure the story going around doesn't grow too many arms and legs, you know what this goddamned castle is like." 

"Hank, if you get reports of Chloe, Elijah's blonde-haired servant, in the town, I'd suggest leaving her be. I know she's played some role in Gavin's survival, and she's the one who insisted I check if he was truly dead. Had she not, we would never have known he is actually alive. I think she's earned a reprieve?" Allen appealed to both of them.

Connor nodded once. "That sounds fair, I also feel like that poor girl has suffered enough by being forced by this _ bastard's _hands," he sneered with an evil tilt, "Make sure that the words spread in a way that works out for the best." Hank nodded and left, with Allen hanging around just long enough to glare at Elijah again before departing the room. 

"You know that my people won't accept my bastard brother as a ruler, nor your whore-fucking brother if they are married. This won't do anything to stop the war that is coming," Elijah challenged Connor.

"Well, you should have thought about that before you came here with the intention to murder the last of my family," Connor replied nonchalantly as he looked at his nails, then shrugged. "I've been in this war longer than you, it was fought for my parents and Cecil. If I have to drag it out for another year or two for Nines's sake, I'll do it. This time you won't benefit from it though; just sitting sadly on Wreckage or six feet under. Your choice." Connor then snickered in amusement. "I can already see the headlines: 'King Kamski overthrown by Arkait line Through Unknown Brother.'"

Elijah smirked in reply. "Considering you were the one who has pursued so many peace talks, you speak about war so openly now. Funny how your priorities change when it is for your family's benefit. I wonder whose mask is the more deceiving and is the bigger the lie, Connor. Yours, or mine?"

That caught Connor a little off guard but he went it. "Yes, I think we both wear different masks, but I can thank you for helping me notice that. I've always been a very good liar, I'm made to adapt," he winked.

A scoff showed Elijah's thoughts on that. "You won't keep my country under control, no matter how you try and do it. This war won't end without a slaughter on one side or the other."

"Remember how we talked about refugees?" Connor smiled victoriously. "Your people hate you. I think a large majority of them will be happy to see you gone." Connor then stood up and waved. "I now have a proposal to deal with. I'm sure that my guards will keep you wonderful company."

* * *

Down in the medical wing, Nines hadn't yet strayed from Gavin's side. He had been flitting between holding Gavin in his arms and just leaving him in the bed while staying as close to him as possible: but it was rather unsettling to be lying next to someone who you couldn't feel the heartbeat of and whose breath was so faint that you wondering if you were seeing things. 

Rose had drifted in and out a couple of times to check on Nines, and this time she came through with some food and water. "I figure you'll be starving by now," she said with a knowing smile.

Nines nodding reply with a smile of his own. "Yeah, I'm starving considering that I puked out everything I'd eaten earlier." He took the plate and saw the look on Rose's face. Nines only realised his mistake after he'd shoved a roll in his mouth and replied with his mouth full. "Oops?"

"Manners," she scolded before sighing. "I shouldn't be surprised that you drank so much earlier, not that I blame you for it. I just wish you had slightly better coping mechanisms that running away and drinking..." She then smiled knowingly. "Though I get the feeling that it is going to take an effort to tear you away from his side now, am I right?"

The prince smiled as he took another messy bite from his roll. "That depends," he said between chews, grin unmistakable. Nines knew that Gavin wasn't out of the woods, but he still had other things to take care of. He knew Rose needed him just as much as he needed her and he was going to do his utmost to reassure her.

"Oh for heaven's sakes, I taught you better than to talk with your mouth full! And depends on what, young man? I'd hope after everything that you two would be stuck with glue practically," she joked with a smile.

Nines swallowed hard, smile falling a little bit and he looked at Rose seriously. "It depends on how much you need me. Gavin's not going anywhere for a little while. How are you doing? This has been hard on you too and I don't want you to have to deal with it alone."

Rose smiled softly at Nines. "I won't be too far, dear. I guess however far I am is dependent on whether you have Gavin shifted back to your chambers so that he can recover there. Doctors aren't tied to their domain after all," she winked. 

"I don't think I'm up for taking us back my chambers. I'm still too nervous for that," Nines told her honestly. 

"What I guess it will all depend on whether they can figure out how to wake Gavin up - they found some of that Red Ice on the man that Fletcher killed, but they haven't a clue what it is. Without that, they aren't sure what will help and what might make things worse for him," Rose came to the conclusion of.

"I think I need to give Elijah's little book a bit more reading. It may have some other information that could help us," Nines decided.

“As far as I know, Connor still has it. I’m sure he’ll be down before long, word of your return will be travelling quickly. Do you think there will be other things in that book which could shed some light on all of this?” she wondered.

"There's only one way to find out."

“Then I guess we can send word to him, asking for the book. Can I get you anything else?” Rose asked while heading towards the door.

Nines shook his head in reply. "Just the book. Thank you for all you do, Rose," he added emotionally.

“You know that I do all I can for those that I love, Nines. I hope that this is the start of a new chapter for us all,” Rose said with a smile before heading out the door.

That heralded the start of a new span of peace for Nines. He stayed by Gavin's side for a while longer but soon moved, needing a way to calm his mind a bit. Nines was sketching away while in a chair next to Gavin's bed, quite happy for a tiny bit of time to work on his art (given how the last week had gone, it had fallen a bit to the wayside), when interlude was quietly interrupted by a small party entering the room. He looked up to spy that Connor, Hank, and Allen had now joined hi.

Allen flashed Nines an apologetic smile while Hank gave him an acknowledging nod. Connor followed only a few steps behind. “How is he?” Allen asked quietly as he approached.

"He's alive," Nines stated as he shelved his sketchbook. "Don't really know much else beyond that."

“This in itself is somewhat of a miracle,” Hank commented while checking after Connor had entered the room to make sure they were clear. Rose was now hovering outside, but Hank nodded her inside with a smile. She gratefully slipped in before he locked the door.

Nines let out a soft chuckle from where he was sitting at noticing just how many people were in the room. "This feels like an intervention." He felt a bit odd being surrounded by his brother, the two head guards - who were family in all but legal status - and his mum. The last time he'd had this much attention on him was when he came back from his last bout as a soldier.

"Depends on whether you'll actually not be self-destructive this time," Rose chuckled. "And you did take off from the castle only a few hours ago, can you blame some of use for being protective?" 

"She has a point," Hank laughed.

"I've gotten myself in order," Nines smiled as he stood. "I think I need to avoid fainting for a while though." 

Connor snorted in agreement, "Three times in as many days isn't the best for you." 

Nines shrugged in response. "It is weird considering the last time I fainted was three years ago."

“It’s been a stressful week, I think all of us are going to need some rest after all of this is resolved,” Allen said while taking a seat at the far wall. “Or we can just blame this one for stressing you out,” he joked while pointing at Gavin. 

“Don’t point blame at the man who can’t argue back!” Rose scolded while swatting his arm lightly, which had both Hank and Allen laughing.

Connor snickered and then looked at Nines. "For being raised by such a wonderful woman, you're such a fucking asshole." 

Nines gasped in affront. "How rude! And watch your language." Connor laughed vibrantly as he dodged a smack aimed at him by Nines.

“So, now that we actually _ have _a fucking moment, is anyone else still trying to come to terms with this week, or is it just me?” Hank asked the room at large. 

“Nope, definitely me as well, and I’ve only been part of it for a short time,” Allen agreed. 

“It certainly has been something...” Rose added while sitting next to Nines.

The prince scooted to make room for Rose, then addressed the group. "I'm going to need at least a month to process this; and probably a doctor." 

Connor response was to sigh. "I can't imagine how stressful this has been on you." 

"Yeah," Nines smiled at his brother as he thought of something. "Do you still have that book?" 

"I do." The king pulled it out of his jacket and then handed it to Nines. "Here."

“Do you have any idea on what you want to start looking for?” Rose asked while peering over at the journal, highly curious.

"Let's start with looking for anything to do with Red Ice," Nines decided as he started to thumb through the journal. It took a couple of minutes, but Nines finally found the right entry from about a year prior. 

Something rather strange happened today. My scientists have been developing a new poison - something to top Thirium but with less obvious effects. While they were testing it, however, one of the test vials broke and was accidentally inhaled. The man was declared dead and an examination had started of his supposed corpse when the most bizarre thing was discovered - his heart was still beating. Even seemingly without breath and no discernible heartbeat, he was alive. 

We will have to study the effects at greater length, but this new creation (which I think I shall call Red Ice, from the crystals it makes when distilled), could be just as deadly as Thirium with the death mimicking properties of Jericho Dust. This could prove highly useful.

Nines read the passage aloud and ended it with one word. "Fascinating." 

"Sounds like the perfect thing to fake a suicide with," Connor mused, "or induce a medical coma like Chloe did with Gavin. Anything else?"

It looks like we have stumbled on to something truly unique with the Red Ice. I’ve found not only a weapon to use against my enemies, but an aid to help my own soldiers recover. Red Ice seems to trick the body into entering something akin to a hibernation state. Much like animals do, the person has minimal need of food or water, and their body drops into its most basic instincts. 

Curiously, it seems that as a consequence of having less of those basic human functions to focus on, it actually promotes more accelerated healing. I guess there is less for the body to have its attention split by, and as such it can hone in on injuries easier. This is a truly remarkable discovery - recovery times can be up to halved, and with it, I can send my troops back into the field much quicker. This is a discovery I must protect though, I cannot let any other nation know the secrets to this.

The one drawback is that it is impossible to rouse someone from a Red Ice induced slumber. The duration is entirely dependent on the dosage given, so the utmost care must be taken with it. We’ve already had several people be stuck inside a Red Ice coma for weeks. This needs more studying, but I am fascinated with this substance. I need to research it more.

Nines swallowed nervously at reading the end of that entry. "Weeks? That's... unsettling." He glanced at Gavin instinctively, unable to help himself from thinking down that rabbit hole. 

"I'm sure everything will be fine," Connor placed a reassuring hand on Nines' shoulder. "See if there's anything else on Red Ice or maybe even on Gavin?" Nines nodded and turned back to the journal once again, but to his surprise Rose gently took it from him with a smile.

“Maybe let me?” she encouraged gently. Nines understood what she meant and nodded. There were a couple more entries that mentioned Gavin, but Rose simply flipped the pages over when a very quick read showed that they detailed some of Elijah’s torture of him. She knew that Nines couldn’t handle that right now.

Instead, it was all the way towards the beginning of the journal that they found something. She couldn’t bear to read it aloud and instead pointed it out to Nines.

So, I’ve finally set my plan into motion. Melissa Reed, the whore that my father took as a mistress, then defied his wishes and kept their bastard child: I’ve found her and it. 

The child may only be 8 years now, but I have no way of knowing whether the whore has already told him of his true bloodline. I will not have a threat to my rule, not this way. I can subdue any assault by force, but a bastard heir is still an heir. 

Unfortunately, no matter how I will myself to do it, I won’t harm my own blood. So I have another plan. My father set them up in a small cottage on the fringes of the city in return for her silence. ‘An offer of gratitude’ for long service to my mother is the official tagline behind it, even if I know that it was to buy her tongue. Well, it is an opportunity. Surely people will have noticed how a poor seamstress came to suddenly own her own home. I will utilise that suspicion and have her framed as a traitor, paid to spy for another country. With that, she’ll be put to death and the child will be left with nothing. No home, no possessions, not even a name. I’ll then take him into the castle to keep him under my eye.

I will have to wait some time before I can finally have full control of him, but once she’s removed from the picture, the critical part will be done. I did not need this headache only a year into my rule. 

Honestly, 18 years old and I already have issues with an heir? Not something I saw coming.

Nines swallowed around the lump in his throat at the entry and took a moment before explaining it to the others. "It's an entry about how Elijah planned to frame Gavin's mother for treason to take control of his life." It wasn't anything he didn't already know, or at least Gavin's version of the tale, but seeing it written in so plainly was distressing.

Connor's eyes widened as he realised just what Nines was saying. "That's... terrible? Putting an innocent to death for control is a nasty tactic." 

"Elijah isn't he only royal to do that and won't be the last, Connor," Nines said flatly. No royal had hands clean of innocent blood. Not him, not Connor, and definitely not their parents. It was something that they all made a point of overlooking when convenient.

Rose sensed the tension and took the book once again to move the conversation along. "Let's check another entry, shall we?"

The next part they stopped on was a fair distance along. 

As of today, it is finally done. I cornered Gavin and told him the price of being a traitor’s son. Not only that, I informed him that I wouldn’t allow him to stay in the castle for nothing anymore. As a Nameless, he has no possessions and cannot be paid, so I presented him this option: be turfed out on to the streets and left to fend for himself, or become my slave and sign himself over to me. 

Even a 12-year-old would know there is only one logical choice and Gavin did not disappoint. He knows he wouldn’t last long on the streets. 

Still, it is annoying how sweet that boy is. I’m beginning to like him, and I can ill afford that. He is the ultimate danger to my rule, I cannot look upon him as anything other than that. No, now that I own him, I can do with him as I will. I will have to find something that will utterly destroy this tentative bond that we’re building.

He’s not my brother, he is simply an abomination. A ghost that never should have been. I will do well to remember that.

Nines grit his teeth before he looked at Rose and she gave him a sharp nod. They both knew what this entry truly meant. Elijah started abusing Gavin to break any positive bonds they could have formed. The sheer horror of that made everything the king had done _ so much _worse_. _They really could have been close and Gavin could have been happy. Elijah could have prevented himself from becoming a monster. 

He looked at Gavin still motionless on the bed. Elijah _ really _didn't have to do any of this. Nines then turned to look at Connor and wondered what it would have been like if his older brothers had thought of him as much of a threat as Elijah did of Gavin. Sure his own mother saw that of him, but ultimately she didn’t have that level of violence in her despite everything else. 

Flashes of heartless brown eyes graced his mind's eye. Connor or Cecil could have killed him if they'd thought along the lines that Elijah did. What a horror life this game of crowns was, and he hadn't even considered the full extent of how far those horrors could have gone.

"Nines?" Connor whispered, pulling Nines out of his thoughts. "What does the book say?"

The prince blinked away his vivid imagination and refocused on the present. "Gavin was twelve when he became Elijah's slave." _ Twelve. _What was Nines doing at twelve? Learning to bake and perfecting his horseback riding. He placed a hand on his face and tried to hide the onslaught of feelings.

“Shit,” Allen swore. “That means Gavin’s been a victim of this for years.” 

Rose flipped the pages back and felt her heart drop. “From an earlier entry, it seems there are ten years between Elijah and Gavin. Isn’t Elijah 37? That puts Gavin at 27 now...” 

“Fuck, that means this has been going on for 15 years,” Hank muttered lowly.

Nines blinked and gave that a few minutes to sink in. Honestly? Up until this point he had figured that Elijah had been abusing Gavin far longer than that, if the scars on his body had been anything to go off of. Fifteen years was what it took for Elijah to get Gavin to this point: not a lifetime, just little more than half. Nines didn't say anything of that though.

What he said instead was, "Huh, that means I'm younger than Gavin," now that his brain was actually processing everything. He was 25 turning 26 in a few months. In between everything else it hadn't actually occurred to him who was the older or younger out of the two of them.

“Damn, what a mess. Last thing we expected with these peace talks was to get tangled up in something which has led to a battle of succession for Elijah’s kingdom. If Gavin doesn’t wake up soon, this has the potential to become a mess,” Hank sighed. “Things just can’t be simple, can they?” he asked with a knowing look at Connor.

Connor looked away pointedly. "No, Hank. They can't be," he said from a lifetime of experience.

Nines looked at Gavin and swallowed before he turned back to Connor, "Does marrying Gavin mean I have to rule his kingdom or would you just combine them?" 

_ "Marry him?" _Connor sputtered as he spun back to his brother. "I don’t even know if that's an option, Nines."

“No-one knows that Gavin is Elijah’s true heir, the only proof is the journal,” Allen pointed out. 

“And there’s no way anyone would believe if we just produced it.” Rose said as she laid her hand on Nines’. “I think you need to find Chloe. She hinted before that she knew who Gavin really was when she gave you the journal, and she knows how much Red Ice Gavin was given. She might be the key to all this,” she suggested.

Nines hummed at the suggestion briefly. "I mean we could just kill Elijah and be done with it." 

Connor rubbed his temple in frustration. "You're the one that spared him in the first place, Nines. Doing it now would be a lot more complicated." 

"I'm venting," Nines admitted, "I still want Gavin to make the final call on that. More importantly, don't we have troops approaching from the West and an ex-consort to find? We have things to do." He stood up and handed the book to Rose and then started towards the door.

Allen stood and joined him. “Do you want me to find Chloe? I know where she was last seen - it surely won’t be too hard to track her down?” the guard suggested.

"That's sounds good to me. I don't really have the heart to see her quite yet," Nines sighed as he scratched the back of his neck.

"Consider it done then. Is there anything else you require?" Allen asked as he readied his weapons for heading back out.

"Another drink, maybe?" Nines joked. "I think that will be enough, Fletcher," he replied gratefully before turning back to his brother. "I think we have a king to do a few dealings with, yes?"

Connor sighed and eventually shrugged. "Honestly, I don't know how you want to play this. I'm not sure what you're looking for out of Elijah, anyway. The man's no longer a threat."

"His troops are very much still a threat." Nines pointed out as he started to walk away from the room. "We eventually need to decide how we are going to bring this to the public and spin it in a way that makes him look bad. In his country what he does to Gavin isn't a crime and we have very little solid evidence that he was actually trying to kill **us**."

Falling into step beside his brother, with Hank right behind them, Connor hummed in thought. "Unfortunately I am not an expert on the laws of Elijah's country. We will probably need someone with that knowledge to decide on an appropriate course of action. Sadly things aren't as simple as saying you bested him in a duel given the lack of witnesses - it could be spun either way," Connor lamented.

Nines sighed in frustration. "Logically, I know I should have waited and challenged him to a formal duel, I let my anger get the best of me, but what else was I to do?"

"Yes, I can imagine logic wasn't really factoring much for you at that moment all things," Connor said with a smile, "but I am reasonably certain that Elijah was waiting for you. It's a good thing that you bested him, or things could have been far worse. Do you have any firm idea on what you intend to ask him?"

"I have a few questions about his country," Nines said coldly. "Seems like we have some negotiating to do, just between him and me."

Connor looked at him seriously. "Nines, is that such a good idea?"

"Can you stop me if it isn't?" Nines smirked as he stopped in front of the tower, challenging his brother to do otherwise.

"And can you blame me for fearing what your temper is capable of given how Elijah has already gotten under your skin? If he starts taunting you about Gavin, are you so sure that you won't kill him?" Connor asked pointedly.

"Nope." That was all Nines said before pushing the door open with a dark smile he was sure his brother had never seen before. Before Connor Hank could react, Nines slammed the door shut and locked it as he shot a nasty look at the man in the cell.

"Hello, Elijah."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> No apologies for where that chapter ends, but the next one will be up soon! 😇


	27. The Deal (No Deal)

Elijah raised an eyebrow at Nines when the prince emerged into the dim lighting of the cells and smiled cruelly. "Oh, have you come for some entertainment since your whore is still out cold? A little 'on ice', is he?" the defeated king taunted.

"Oh? I bet you’re bored too now that your own whore has ran out, but I already told you I wasn't interested in you." Nines rolled his eyes at the goading. "Nope I'm going to talk about how you think I'd look on your throne."

A derisive snort relayed Elijah's thoughts on that. "I don't see it, personally. Would you fancy a wager on who would off you first?" he asked menacingly.

"Sounds fun," Nines took a seat in a nearby chair and made himself comfortable. "Who are my options?"

"Let's make it simple. Someone from my kingdom, for you trying to muscle in on something that is not yours? Or someone from your own, for being a traitor to your own people and jumping ship?" Elijah taunted.

Nines laughed at the statements. "Considering I'm technically already a traitor, we'll say someone from your kingdom," he replied in a bored tone.  "Though what would your people say about coming home like that?" he gestured at the gash in his side.

Elijah rolled his eyes. "I thrive off war, and I'm not afraid to get my hands dirty for that cause. No-one would be surprised - especially not from your kingdom. They'd be even less surprised to hear it was you," he sneered.

"Oh? Do tell," Nines smiled. "Call me narcissistic, but I like to know what rumours about me entail."

"It's common knowledge that you ran away from your castle to play soldiers in the war. A few of our people recognised you, but most thought you'd perished in it until recently," Elijah told him with a smile. "You're known as a murderer and war monger - not so different from myself, in fact. At least they fear me enough not to make effigies of me in the streets and publicly burn them."

"Cute. Bet me coming in with a large army and your head on pike will bridge the gap." Nines then stood up and walked towards the cage. "I hope you know as soon as Gavin wakes up your fate is sealed." He pulled out a knife and before Elijah could react Nines threw it, slicing a cut in the side of his neck. "Huh, now I can see the resemblance."

Elijah didn't flinch, but he did raise a hand to brush against his neck; before pulling it away to look at the red now coating it. "You say that so confidently, but it sounds like you've left the decision of what happens next to him. I've known Gavin a lot longer than you. If he couldn't gut you when I'd broken and all but drowned him, he's never going to have it in him to be a killer. So you'll just have to put up with me for a little longer.

"Besides, I doubt he's going to wake anytime soon. You have no idea how to bring him back," Elijah spat in reply, looking for a reaction.

"Gavin is the only reason  ** _I _ ** haven't kill you," Nines stated with a smile as he pulled out another knife. "If he doesn't condemn you, I'm more than happy to make sure you have nasty company on Wreckage. You won't cross me and get away with it. It'll all be for show now, because unlike Gavin I **am** capable of killing."  The knife sunk into the wall next to Elijah, adding a second slice. "I can see why you like these so much." He stood back with a quiet laugh. "Also I hope you like being hungry, because that's just the start of the revenge I plan on taking out on you while Gavin's asleep. I have fifteen years to make up for."

"Or..." Nines mused as he pulled out Elijah's notebook, making sure the dethroned king realised what he held. "We agree on terms."

“What terms could you possibly offer that I would accept? You need to work on your bargaining skills, Richard,” Elijah scoffed. “You make many assumptions, and your efforts to unnerve are, frankly, quite pathetic. You have nothing to offer that would incentivise me, and there is nothing that I have any want to give you.

“The way you speak of Wreckage, you make it sound like a punishment. Personally, I think it would be a fun challenge. So keep trying all you want, little Prince. You can just keep wasting your breath,” Elijah told him while turning away from Nines with a slight smirk.

Nines sighed and reached into his holster. "You seem to value your life pretty highly." He then aimed his gun at Elijah directly. "Sign the peace treaty and Gavin over to me, then we'll call this even and we can put this whole, uncivil spat behind us."

“And why exactly would I do that? Again, you assume that I have any want or will to negotiate with you,” Elijah chimed. “The last thing I would ever do is hand Gavin over to you willingly. He’s  **mine** , and as long as he is, I still have power in this game.” Elijah smirked. “Tell me, do you know what happens to slaves who betray their owners in Cybera? What I’ve done to him is  **nothing ** compared to what awaits him if he’s ever found.”

Nines stared at Elijah coldly. "You really don't think I am able to kill you? That's so stupid it's almost impressive." He pulled the hammer back with a deafening click. "You know for a fact you can't best me in combat and you know exactly how far I'm willing to take this and yet you'd rather whine like a bitch than agree to some simple terms and walk away? Pathetic really."

“I wouldn’t make a very good assassin if I feared for my life, would I?” Elijah shrugged. “If you fear to die, you won’t go to the same lengths as someone who has already come to terms with the fact that death is inevitable. Life is as much a game as anything else.  I never feared Gavin because he might kill me - I knew early that he lacked that edge that meant he could take lives. All Kings ever play for is power: power over kingdoms, power over lives." 

"Eh, looks like another thing we have in common. It was worth a shot, " Nines said with a smirk as he reholstered the gun. 

“You need to know your target if you’re going to try and barter with them,” Elijah smiled cruelly while pulling out a vial from his sleeve. “While you may not have any power over me, I have  _ exactly  _ the thing you need.”

Nines sat back down with a tired expression. "I'm taking a wild guess that's a vial of Red Ice antidote?" He waved his hand in a circle gesturing for Elijah to get on with it.

“This? Oh, no, this isn’t an antidote to Red Ice, you will no doubt know from that book that there is no such thing,” Elijah said all too plainly. “Tell me, did Gavin ever tell you about his illness?” he asked simply.

"Yes, but I'm sure you can me more," Nines bluffed, honestly having a bit of trouble telling when Elijah was lying or not - but he was worth listening to at the very least.

“I’m sure you know that all the Kings of my bloodline die early, it’s a common fact among the continent. It’s why they normally have children late - it means the next generation gets more time before fate comes for them too,” Elijah started while wandering to lean against one of the walls of his cell.  “Every male of our bloodline suffers from a disease that slowly breaks our body down. It’s mostly unseen, but the effects are unmistakable once you get past a certain point. Normally this happens around 25. I started showing at 28, Gavin was unfortunate enough to start having symptoms from 21. 

“The longest anyone of our line had ever lived is 45, some die before they are even 30 depending on how quickly it ravages them.  _ This _ ...” Elijah raised the bottle again, “suppresses the worst of the symptoms and allows us to live a mostly normal life until the very final stages.” Elijah chuckled. “I’m not surprised he didn’t tell you - after all, who would willingly get involved with an already dying man?” he asked whimsically.

"I can't help but wonder if the beatings would have anything to do with that?" Nines sneered. He knew about the stories of Elijah's line being sickly, his birth mother had always expressed that her heirs were not to marry from the Kamski line.  That memory slammed into with a bit of force but he shook his head to clear it. It's not like he and Gavin could produce an heir anyway, then there was the fact that he didn’t care about anything that bitch ever said.  "I'm sure my doctors could find an answer without your help." 

"So, tell me, Elijah. How about we try talking about the terms for getting you out of that cell again. Hmm?"

Elijah shrugged nonchalantly. “Well, it’s simple. Without more of this serum, both Gavin and I are going to start suffering from our disease again. While it will cripple me,  _ he _ ...” Elijah chuckled menacingly. “With him already teetering impossibly close to the edge, so you think he’d survive if that resurfaced?”

"Considering you would benefit greatly from his death, I don't see how this matters to you," Nines huffed.

“Oh, that doesn’t matter to me, but it does to  _ you _ ,” Elijah smiled again. “After all, you challenged me because of your feelings for him, and you’ve already thought you’ve lost him once. “Are you really prepared to face that pain again?”

"Are you going to sign him over to me or not?" Nines bit in reply. "I'm losing my patience with your mind games."

“I’ll tell you where my troops are, I’ll even agree to your peace treaty....” the fallen king then smirked. “But Gavin? He’s mine,” 

"He's not anymore. He's mine whether you like it or not." Nines leaned forward. "Sign the treaties, and Gavin and I will disappear. You'll never hear from either of us again, you have my word."

Elijah laughed sinisterly. “You know my terms. If you do not accept them, then this discussion is over.” He then pointedly turned away from Nines.

The prince stood up and clapped his hands. "I look forward to our agreement being put on paper. I'll have the final draft draw up tomorrow. See you then, Elijah." He sneered as he made his way to the door and into the hallway.

“Oh I have no doubt that I will see you again, Prince Richard - if you want that serum to keep your whore alive!” Elijah cackled after him.

Nines had to actively force himself to open the door and make himself walk through the threshold. The sound of laughing followed him into the hallway as he locked eyes with his brother. "I got your peace treaty agreed on," Nines gritted out as he slammed the door. 

Connor then stood up and blinked, "What?  _ How?  _ What did he want?" 

The younger brother looked down the hallway and swallowed down a wave of vile emotion as he tried to rein himself back in. "Gavin. Nothing more. Nothing less."

“It can’t be that easy, Elijah must have surely wanted something else?” Connor stated suspiciously. He then paused. “Did you really agree?” he asked sceptically.

"I don't know what to do, Connor," Nines sighed. "My whole kingdom or the man I love? I can't think of a higher cost to me. If the choice between love and the kingdom were an easy one you'd have married Hank ten years ago."

Realising for the first time just how serious Nines was, that what he and Gavin shared rivalled his own romance, Connor’s expression hardened. “It will take some time for the peace treaty to be drawn up completely, we have a little time. If Elijah didn’t ask for anything else, he has another plan or believes he’s still holding an ace. We need to find out which it is,” Connor said decisively.  “Was there anything else that Elijah said which could help us? I can’t imagine you will have been shy about threatening him,” he said knowingly.

Nines started counting the items off on his fingers as he rambled. "There's the fact that he and Gavin have a degenerative disease, he's not afraid of death. Elijah will do anything to keep control over Gavin. He doesn't like me, if we take over the kingdom his people will murder us." He then shrugged. "What you'd usually expect of an evil and angry king locked in a cell."

“So the rumour about the Kamski family being cursed had some merit to it. I always wondered whether their infighting is what meant all their Kings died young, but it seems that disease is what kills them instead...  Well there is one thing he is afraid of, and that’s Gavin,” Connor told Nines pointedly. “If he’s willing to die rather than lose control, then Gavin is a genuine threat to Elijah. That means there must be some other form of proof. Right?”

"There is a possibility," Nines mused. "Also, he has a lot to lose if Gavin and I are allowed to be together. Even if no one believes in him being Elijah's heir, he would become a prince through other means: making Gavin just as dangerous to Elijah's rule as a bastard." Nines looked at Connor and Hank seriously. "He has a lot to gain from keeping us apart."

Hank and Connor shared a look before Hank picked up the conversation again. "I'm not comfortable with how that went. I'm going to step up patrols around the castle, I'm not trusting that Elijah doesn't have a contingent ready to start a raid. We've been getting troubling reports from the city about mysterious figures being seen and I'm smelling a rat. We need to head down to the garrison." 

Connor turned to Nines. "You've fought Elijah's people, you know their tactics. What do you know about potential subterfuge?" the king asked.

"His armies are just like him. Trained assassins with a tendency for ruthless long distance combat." Nines shook his head tiredly. "We best be ready for a battle."

"I'm going to get our best men in here, preferably those with front line experience. This isn't something to take a chance on. With your permission, Connor, I'm going to put out a castle wide alert and have people sticking to authorised areas only for the time being. We need to know who's out of place," Hank suggested. 

"Do what you have to do, Hank," Connor nodded at him before turning back to his brother. "Is there anyone that you can think of that could have any information that could help us, Nines?"

Nines wracked his brain but couldn't think of anything. "I don't think so." He pulled out the journal and offered it to his brother. "But you may want to give this a good read through. Now, if you'll excuse me I'm going back to the medical wing."

"Of course, but stay safe, Nines. Don't go anywhere without a guard - I know you can look after yourself, but please humour me on this? You're a little frazzled right now and could still be in danger, I don't want to risk anything happening to you," Connor told him a little softer.

The prince rolled his eyes as he pulled Connor into a hug. When they pulled apart he smiled at his older brother. "I'll humor you. I know that I'm not at my best right now. Be safe yourself, see you soon."  Then Nines was making his way to the medical wing. He wondered if Gavin had made any changes as he pushed open the door.

Rose was in the room when Nines arrived, and she greeted him with a smile. "Fletcher hasn't reappeared yet, hopefully he can find Chloe soon. Did you have any luck with figuring out what to do about the threat of Elijah's troops?" she asked him softly.

Nines sighed as he noted Gavin hadn't changed yet before he sat down in the chair next to Rose. "Not exactly, but Elijah kind of agreed to sign the peace treaty." His head fell into his hands.

"Why do I get the feeling that it isn't that simple?" she asked, reading Nines' anguish. "What happened?"

"To get him to agree to anything regarding the war I have to turn Gavin back to him." He hated that the choice was difficult, because he wanted nothing more to keep Gavin safe. But at the same time he wanted the war to  **end. ** Too many people had died already... Was Gavin and his happiness worth the lives of two warring nations? He didn't know and he hated himself for it.

Rose's eyes narrowed at Nines. "And you're actually considering it?" she asked in quiet outrage.

Nines didn't say anything immediately and he knew that was answer enough. Tears started to form in his eyes and he looked up at Rose filled with sorrow. "How many more people have to die?" He swallowed and whispered the next bit. "How many more people have to die for my own selfish happiness?"

"And why should you have to give up on your own happiness and life just like that?" she snapped back, anger burning in her eyes. "You've already sacrificed so much for your country, just as much as anyone else. Why does peace have to be bought with your suffering?"

The man took a deep breath and looked at his hands. "It is my duty as a prince and a member of the Arkait family to put my people before myself. I don't even care about my suffering, I care about  _ Gavin's."  _ Nines blinked as an idea slammed into himself. "I know what I have to do."

"Don't you be getting any self-sacrificing ideas in your head, young man!" Rose barked at him. "I'm not going to be responsible for telling Gavin that you've got yourself killed with a half-baked idea when he wakes up!"

Nines smiled sadly and placed his hands on her shoulders. "But you'll take care of him for me, right? No matter what happens?" he implored.

"I refuse to make you that promise, because I know damn well that it means you're going to do something!" she replied angrily while standing up and glaring at him. "You are taking care of him yourself, or so help me I'll go right now and tell the King that you're a danger to yourself. You know I will!" she threatened, tears in her eyes.

"Mum,  _ please,"  _ Nines stood up and tried to calm her. "What else am I to do? Let him have Gavin, or let him order the slaughter of my people? I'm not worth that, Mum! I'm nothing more than a rebellious heir that happens to be a good painter and a soldier. Enough people have died by my hands already I can't do it anymore!"

" _ **Bullshit**!"  _ she spat. "You're far more than that, and you know it! You're an incredibly courageous young man who risked his life countless times on the front lines! Who is it that Connor turns to for military advice and counsel? Who is it that has won the hearts of every damn servant in this castle for wanting to interact with us as more than just people who are employed to do a noble's bidding?" 

Rose then pointed at Gavin. "What about  **him** ? Gavin was fully prepared to die to protect you, you know what torture he went through at Elijah's hands because he wouldn't give you up! If you get yourself killed now, it betrays everything he went through? Would you have it all be meaningless?!"

Nines was genuinely taken aback by Rose's outburst. He'd only ever heard her cuss a handful of times. Though the words only calmed him for a moment.  "Then what do I do!?" He yelled back, "because the options as I see them are Gavin, my people, or me.  _ Pick one!" _

"You know which one I'd say, because I will always think you've suffered enough," Rose told him softly. "But I also know you will hate me for suggesting it because you feel it's your duty as a prince to protect your people."

"You could never do anything that would make me hate you," Nines sighed, finally calming down. "I'm so lost."

"I know you are," Rose said, tears finally streaming down her cheeks. She then pulled Nines in for a tight hug. "But I couldn't bear to lose you: either to death or to a broken heart. There must be another way!"

Nines froze and returned the hug just as tightly. "If there is, I can't think of it." He paused for a moment before he buried his head onto her shoulder and whispered his next words. "Right now I can't help but wish I never approached him at the painting. God, I can't see this getting a happy ending."

"But would you really wish to not have all those memories of you together? As if he'd never existed?" She cradled his head and leant her own against it. "Your time together made Gavin so happy - I know that he'd never trade it. There must be a way for this to be resolved, I fully intend to be standing there proud as a peacock when you two get married," Rose told him definitively.

The prince let out a wet chuckle. "Do you think Gavin would fit in Dad's suit?" He decided to leave his other fears unsaid: he was going to let Rose think everything was going to be okay, even though he'd already made up his mind.

"I'm looking forward to finding out," she said tearily, before pulling back to look at Nines, cupping his cheeks. "You're not going to deprive me of that, are you?" she whispered proudly .

"If everything works out for the best," Nines whispered truthfully as he leaned into the touch. He reached out and wiped her tears away.

Nodding, Rose pressed a kiss to his cheek. "I'm going to clean up, okay? Give me a minute and I'll be back. I've been speaking to Gavin, hoping that he wakes up. Maybe he will for you?" With that she stepped outside the door, spying Allen returning as it clicked shut. Levelling him with a stern look, she nodded towards the door. "Don't let the Prince out, no matter what," she whispered to him. "He's a danger to himself." 

Allen raised an eyebrow, but nodded at her. "Consider it done - but are you sure?" he asked warily.

"I know him better than anyone, I know he'd sooner put himself in danger than anyone else. I don't know what he's planning, but we can't let him do it," Rose replied determinedly.

Another nod. "You've got it. I found Chloe, she's waiting in a room down the hall." 

"Good, I'll have a word with that young lady. Maybe she can help us," Rose decided while walking away, leaving Allen with a grateful smile as she hoped to finally get some answers.

Nines sat back down after Rose left the room, sighing and wiped his face. He felt lower than dirt for making her cry, feeling that he was terrible at emotions sometimes. The prince looked ts Gavin and swallowed around the lump in his throat. He couldn't risk anyone else in this - _h_ _ _e_ just  _ ** _couldn't. _ **

He leaned over to Gavin, "Hey, Gav. I'm really sorry for what I'm about to do. I love you so much, it's unreal, but I have to keep you and my people safe. So, I hope to see you soon, but that's unlikely." He kissed his forehead and held his hands for a few moments, enjoying what could be the last time he sees the love of his life if this all went wrong. After a few minutes, Gavin didn't stir and Nines pulled away to head for the door.

When it opened, Nines was faced with a smiling Allen. "Ah, Nines. I'm able to confirm that I found Chloe and she is in a room just down the hallway. She's willing to answer any and all questions we have, fortunately.  Although, I must also inform you that you are hereby barred within this room until further notice," he said with a far too serious expression.

Nines gaped at Allen like a fish. "Excuse me? I'm  _ what?"  _ he asked in outrage.

"I am under firm instructions to keep you within these four walls, and I intend to do so. For your own safety, I hope you understand." Allen's mouth was quirking a little. Rose really did know the prince too well, and Allen was getting great kicks out of Nines' shocked expression.

The taller man crossed his arms in defiance. "I am not a child. You can't just put me in time out. Who gave you the orders? Because unless its Connor, I override them.”

"Afraid not, Nines - these came from the one person I'm scared of in this castle. And I really don't feel like getting on the wrong side of her wrath: you've seen how she can wield needles. I'm not chancing them ending up somewhere like my balls," Allen chuckled. "I'm afraid you're going nowhere" he smiled apologetically.

"I never..." Nines gaped in shock: Rose had barred him in the medical wing. He smiled and let out a soft laugh, he should have known she'd see right through him. The prince then rolled his eyes. "Be happy it's you Fletcher, because if it wasn't I would have knocked the guard out and escaped already."

“Oh I’m well aware, and so is Rose. I’m pretty sure that’s why she asked me when there are many more guards who could stand up to you better, physically,” he smirked. 

"I both love and hate how well we all know each other," Nines joked as he leaned against the door frame. 

“Give us time,” Allen then whispered. “You don’t get to run off and play the hero this time, not when you have someone so precious to you to lose.”

Nines turned more serious. "Fletch, I don't know if we have that luxury. He's quickly putting us in a corner and I know how to stop it: but you have to let me out. I'll take the heat from Rose, if you would prefer."

Allen thought about it. “The only way I’ll even consider it is if you tell me what you are planning to do - and even then it’s just consider. If I think it’s half-cocked, I ain’t budging,” Allen told him seriously.

Then prince sighed in mild defeat. "You won't like my idea, even if I'm almost certain it'll work, but you won't let me out of the room if I shared. So, I'm not telling you."

“Suit yourself, I’m not moving then. Guess we’re at an impasse,” Allen shrugged. The guard then crossed his arms and looked at Nines seriously.

Nines smiled and replicated the gesture. "You'll have to sleep eventually," he said ominously as he pushed off of the door frame. "For now, I'll stay with Gavin. Goodbye."

“I’m not the only one who needs to sleep,” Allen pointed out with a smirk. “Keep Gavin company and Rose might deem you stable enough to be let out soon.” He then shut the door with a smirk and a mock salute.

Nines rolled his eyes fondly before turning back around and joined Gavin on the bed again. 

He then snuggled up to his love as he tried to think of a plan.


	28. Checkmate

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> **Skye: We're back! And we're going to warn you all now - this chapter is a doozy. Just be braced for more chaos, this story is far from over!**

A little while later, Rose returned to the medical wing with Chloe in tow, both women with small smiles on their faces as they talked quietly.  Rose gave Allen a knowing look as they approached while smiling broader. “How much of a hissy fit did he throw then?” she wondered.

Allen shrugged while suppressing a smile of his own. “Nothing more than usual, but I think you surprised him.” 

“That boy ought to realise I know him better than that by now, honestly.” Rose shook her head fondly. “Thank you, Fletcher, please remain here?” 

“You’ve got it,” he winked, opening the door for the two of them...o nly to find Nines halfway out the window. 

Rose raised an eyebrow at him with a stern look. _ “Really?” _she asked in exasperation'

Nines' eyes widened comically as he looked at the now open door with Rose, Allen, and Chloe standing there.  He debated for a moment about launching himself out the rest of the way but Allen would have him quickly intercepted. Instead he sighed as he slowly pulled himself back into the room, matching Rose's stern look, "I don't know what else you expected at this point, honestly," he defended.

“At least for you to try climbing up and not down? Surely you would have realised that there’s someone waiting at the bottom?” she sighed. Chloe, despite herself, giggled while Allen snickered.

The prince blinked in surprise. "I hadn't gotten far enough out the window to have made that decision yet," he replied petulantly.

“Well since you hadn’t tied together the bedsheets and stolen anything heavy to throw upwards, I’m not entirely sure how you thought you were going to climb, I thought you would have learnt that lesson the last time you tried?” Rose went on with a tiny smirk.  Allen was howling in laughter now, to which Nines scowled at him.  “Now, stop trying to be an idiot and come sit down. Chloe has a few interesting things to say,” Rose suggested with a smile, guiding Chloe and Allen in before closing the door behind him.

Nines made a show of looking offended and brushed off the front of his shirt. He walked over and took a seat on the bed next to Gavin's prone form. "So, interesting things?" he asked, aiming the question at Chloe.

Giving Nines a soft smile, she walked over to the bed and sat on the other side, feeling for Gavin's pulse. "Good, he's getting stronger," she whispered before looking up at everyone else.  "I only gave Gavin enough Red Ice to in theory keep him under for 12 hours. After that he should start rousing, even if he'll be immensely groggy. Just enough to hopefully allow his body to heal the worst of the damage. I didn't want to risk more in case his body wasn't strong enough to handle it, and I didn't know how it would react with everything else inside him," Chloe sighed, looking back to Nines. 

"I never meant for anyone to think that he was dead, but I knew that no-one would be allowed near Gavin after everything that had happened. I'm so sorry for the heartache it unintentionally caused," she apologised, the regret written all over her face.

Nines sighed and gave Chloe a small smile. "Its okay. I know now you had good intentions..." He looked at bit sheepish as he went on. "I'm sorry for the way I acted at the tavern. I don't remember much but I have the feeling I was an ass."

"You were grieving, and all things considered you were very restrained," she told him quietly. "I wouldn't have trusted me either, given my links to Elijah. If there's anything you want to know, please ask me. I will tell you all I can, I don't want to be responsible for any more damage caused by him," Chloe told them all before looking down at Gavin. "My inaction has already caused too much hurt."

The prince gently put a hand on Chloe's shoulder and gave her a soft smile. "We all do stupid and hurtful things for the ones we love. I'm sorry that things had to come to this, but know that your not responsible for Elijah's crimes," he told her.

“Maybe not directly, but my decision to stand by and watch makes me as guilty as him,” she replied bitterly. “I can’t watch this vicious cycle go on any more, not when it is innocents who fall victim to him.” 

A tear fell and she scrubbed it away roughly before she placed a hand delicately on top of the sleeping Gavin’s. “He never deserved anything like this,” she went on, voice thick with emotion. “Elijah tore apart his whole life simply because of his parentage, something completely beyond Gavin’s control - and Elijah has manipulated his life since he was a child because of it. I can’t undo any of that, but I can hopefully give Gavin the chance to be free and live the life he was always meant to.” 

Rose stepped up behind her and placed a reassuring hand on Chloe’s back. “Considering what that man is capable of, you are very brave for standing up to him now.” 

“No, this isn’t bravery. This is guilt - guilt because I knew that Elijah would never hurt me, but I never stood up to him about hurting others out of a fear for my own life. A fear that I knew was unfounded, but after watching what he’s capable of...”

Nines nodded, at a loss for words. He wasn't the best at comfort, let alone when he already blamed her at least a little for what happened before - even if it was a bit unfair.  After a few tense moments he took a deep breath and let it out slowly. "The past is the past. Gavin will never suffer at Elijah's hand again. That's not something you have to worry about again."

“Elijah may be locked up now, but one of his most dangerous weapons are his words. He can seed doubt inside you and twist anything so that you perceive it as he wants to,” Chloe told him solemnly. “You need to be wary of him - even now he’s still a threat.”

"I am well aware," Nines responded quietly. "I'm just currently waiting for the hat to drop." And he was, Elijah was being too easy and too cooperative for Nines' liking.

Chloe turned to look at Nines and understood the expression on his face. “You’ve spoken with him, haven’t you? What did he say?

He paused and focused on coming up with a lie that would suffice not willing to be that honest with Chloe yet. She'd yet to earn that. "I'm not at liberty to discuss royal negotiations at the moment," is what he came out with in the end.

A little crestfallen, Chloe nodded and looked back to Gavin. “If there’s anything you want to know, then please feel free to ask me. Otherwise I’ve got to find somewhere to sleep for the night.”

Nines smiled at her, though he was sure it came across a little forced. "I would offer you to stay in the castle, but I don't think you'd be safe here. I'll have Allen get a guard to escort you to a safe on the house on the outskirts of the capital."

Chloe nodded at him. "Thank you, Your Highness. I think I'll-"

A bell then started ringing and Allen instantly jumped up, alert. Nines stood up at the same time, his training making him go into autopilot. He had his gun drawn before anyone other than Allen could react. "Shit! Stay here!" Allen commanded as he then bolted out the door, barking instructions.

Rose looked at Nines in alarm at the sudden change. "Why would the castle be on high alert?" she asked, worriedly.

"It's Elijah, if I could guess," he theorised as he went to the door and set up so that he could peek out, but no one could identify him.

Chloe shot up too and looked at Nines seriously. "Elijah's had spies in your castle for months, one of them could have broken him out. You need to get someone to his quarters to make sure he can't restock on any of his poisons or other weapons. I know where he hid all of them, I could point them out," she told him seriously.

Rose placed a hand on Chloe's arm. "Dear, you won't be safe anymore. Surely Elijah knows of your change of allegiance," Rose warned.

"He will," Chloe nodded to her before turning back to Nines, "but he also taught me a lot of what I know, including how to be unnoticeable. The Prince himself can confirm that I won't be seen if I don't want to be, as far as I know he never found me. Let me help, please," she pleaded.

"Yeah, congrats you were one of the only people to ever slip under my radar," Nines spoke distractedly before shaking his head at himself. "Let's go. I would really like a few more of those throwing knifes. Let me get a team of guards to put here, I'm not leaving Gavin undefended." Without waiting for a response from the other two he stepped out of the room and grabbed the first guard he saw. "Get a full team in front of that room. No one goes in. No goes out. Do not fail me."

The guard nodded quickly and shouted out. He had his team assembled in a few moments, to which  Nines nodded towards his new companion. "Chloe. Now!"

Chloe replied with a nod of her own and led them away from the medical wing. She ran full pelt towards one of the secret passages down the hall, one which led off to Elijah's wing of the castle. "He stashed a few things in every passageway for if he ever needed it, Elijah is nothing if not obsessively prepared," she said while offering Nines a couple of different coloured bags. "Jericho Dust is in the white bag, sulphur is in the red one."

She then led them on to where the passageway emerged back into the main corridor, looking out before turning to Nines worriedly. "Shouldn't there be some people here with Elijah under guard?" she whispered.

"There should be," he said coolly. "Keep sharp."

Nodding, Chloe opened the passage for Nines to creep out behind her and noted one curtain that wasn't moving as naturally as the others. Pausing and holding an arm out for Nines to stop, she then crept forward silently.  Once she was within reach of the curtain, she then crouched down and kicked hard at shin level. The man behind it doubled over just enough for Chloe to get a lock onto his height, to which she then slammed her elbow into the back of his neck hard: knocking him out cold.

He tumbled out of the curtain and flopped onto the floor in front of them, allowing Chloe to scavenge his weapons. She offered Nines the sword while taking a knife for herself.  Nines took the blade and holstered his gun, silently impressed before he nodded to let her know that he was ready to move again.  Knowing Elijah's tactics, Chloe came to a stop right next to the main door and looked up, spying a very small bag over the door which was attached to a tripwire. Looking down and slicing it, she then moved to the other side of the door to listen. 

"I don't hear anything," she said quietly.

Nines listened in but heard something not from the room: it was the hallway. He turned towards the source of the noise and frowned when he didn't see anything there.  Chloe began then hearing it too, but her attention was snapped back by the door to the room opening. She elbowed into the stomach of the spy masquerading as a guard and tried to disarm him before he got a strike on Nines. He noticed the movement and acted quickly, stabbing the man in the throat - not in the mood for mercy.

He withdrew his sword and the man collapsed to the ground, meeting Chloe's surprised look. "What?" he huffed.

"Seeing you as a soldier is a little different from how I've seen you with Gavin is all. It caught me a little off-guard," she told him, looking over Nines' shoulders to see that the sounds from before were reinforcements arriving.  She burst into the room and looked around, swearing when she realised that most of the stashed weapons and items had already been raided. "Crap, they've already been back and cleared the place out! How did they get here so fast?"

A much higher pitched bell then started ringing frantically and Chloe saw how Nines paled. "Prince Richard? What is it?"

_ "Fuck!  _ ** _No!" _ ** Nines cried out as he started running out of the room, praying that he wasn't too late. 

That was Connor's personal alarm.

Chloe tore after him, but she was struggling to keep up with Nines' sheer speed. Nines burst through another one of the secret passages, all but tearing the door off its hinges in his desperate rush to reach Connor, with Chloe a few steps behind. They could hear shouting and footfalls from all over now, but the two of them were ascending a stairwell up to the higher levels of the castle.

As they emerged on the right level at last, Chloe's eyes widened at hearing gunshots and more shouting. "Oh god no!" she yelled as they ran towards Connor's chambers.  Nines drew his gun and braced himself as he slammed into the door and kicked it open, gun drawn. He did a once over and noted there were two hostile guards plus Elijah in the room with Hank and Connor. 

He didn't hesitate another second as he fired shots towards the heads of the two guards. They then promptly collapsed, dead.  Chloe knew that she couldn’t actively hurt Elijah, despite everything, so instead looked for something to throw to draw his attention away from the struggle with Connor. 

Hank had been kicked away by one of the guards that Nines had just shot and landed right next to Connor, as the younger king lost the struggle with Elijah over Connor’s emergency gun. Chloe grabbed the nearest thing she could and hurled it towards Elijah’s hand in a desperate move to distract him, but she was just too slow.

The gun fired pointed at Connor, but Hank threw himself in between the two of them - taking the bullet himself.

Elijah’s attention was snatched by the gun getting knocked from his hands not even a second after and he prepared to throw a knife at the aggressor, but he froze completely on seeing it was Chloe.  Of all the things Elijah had prepared for, being on opposites sides to Chloe in a battle was not one of them.

Nines' vision went red as he caught sight of the blood pouring from Hank's wound; he barely heard Connor's anguished screams over the rushing in his ears. His eyes then locked on Elijah and the stunned look on the other man's face.  Nines aimed the gun to kill the king but he was shaking so damn bad the shot he fired landed in Elijah's side. It wouldn't be fatal, but it sure as hell reopened his old wound.

He collapsed halfway to the ground, having the nerve to look betrayed, only for  Nines to pull the trigger on the gun again. The answer to that was the firing pin hitting and empty chamber. Nines roared in rage and started towards Elijah, fully with the intent to kill the king with his bare hands. 

The next thing anyone knew Nines had Elijah by the throat, half a foot off the ground and pressed up against the nearest wall.  _ " _ Mercy wasn't enough for you, huh?" he spat as he squeezed viciously at Elijah's throat. "Had to go and try to kill the last member of my fucking family? I've had enough of your fucking games.  _ I've had enough of  _ ** _you!"_ **

Despite being crippled, Elijah wasn’t beaten. While he grasped at Nines’ hand with one of his own, he slid a throwing knife out from his other sleeve and slammed it into the soft tissue at the back of Nines’ elbow, causing the prince to scream and let him go with a painful clatter.  As the two continued to tussle, Chloe dashed over to Connor and Hank, the young king trying feebly to stem the bleeding of Hank’s wound. Chloe saw that Hank was going into shock quickly and dove for one of the pouches on her hip as she pressed a hand over Connor’s, keeping the pressure up.

_ “Hank!  _ Stay awake! Stay with me!” Connor screamed, shaking like a leaf but Hank was completely dazed and unable to respond from the shock.  Chloe managed to dig out the powder she was looking for and took a pinch, making sure that Hank inhaled it. Connor screamed in devastation as he went limp, but Chloe made sure to catch Connor’s eye.

“It’s Red Ice, at least this way the shock won’t kill him. We need to get him to a doctor soon though, that shot could cause a lot more problems,” she told Connor steadily.

Nines pulled out the knife from his elbow with a shout and immediately aimed it back at Elijah, successfully jamming it into the other man's shoulder.  "I'm going to kill you, and I don't care if it'll be a fair duel this time," the prince hissed with venom.

Hearing the scuffle behind, Chloe’s eyes widened as she just caught sight of Elijah fishing another throwing knife out of his other sleeve, and watched as it clipped Nines’ side.  Elijah was weakening quickly, the strain at last showing on him from the faulty aim.  Nines ground his teeth as he felt the other knife connect with his side. He was fighting on blind rage now, adrenaline and emotion empowering him. It drove him to punch Elijah in the face, causing blood to splatter as his nose gave way and broke.

Elijah spat the blood which ran down his face at Nines and smirked faintly. “Funny. When you’re like this, I don’t know who would be considered the monster: you or me," he goaded.

"I'm a very different type of monster than you," Nines sneered.  "You think I'm naive enough to ignore the blood on my own hands?" He scoffed as he drew his sword again. "I don't mind sullying them one more time for what you did to Gavin, my family and I."

Off to side, Chloe could only watch as it all unfolded. She might not know Nines, but Chloe knew that he wasn’t thinking clearly. The last thing she wanted was for the prince to kill Elijah in a fit of bloodlust and regret it later. 

She turned back and put a hand on Connor’s shoulder, the king still frozen on the spot as he wondered from the sight of Hank if he was still alive. “King Connor!” she shook, desperate for his attention.  Chloe’s eyes widened at at seeing was was transpiring next to them and she shook Connor harder.  _ “Connor!” _ she called, and finally he met her eyes.

“I don’t know what sort of man Richard is, but I do know that almost everyone who kills when lost to anger and emotion regrets it,” she told him while pointedly looking back to Elijah and Nines. “Is this really what he wants?”

Connor stared over at them, his own thoughts and emotions in such a tangle that he was struggling to process them as Elijah futilely tried to kick at Nines again, only to be kicked to the ground.  Nines looked down at the other man and leered down at the bleeding king. "Oh, how the mighty have fallen."  He raised his sword and put the tip to Elijah's throat. "Maybe if you beg I won't fucking kill you," he said while pushing the blade in enough to draw a bit of blood.

Elijah smiled up at Nines invitingly. “I told you before, I don’t fear death, so that is the last thing I’ll do,” he chimed back. 

Connor was still lost in his head a little, unable to fully comprehend what was going on as Chloe placed a blood stained hand over his. “Connor, Hank is alive and he should live, but we need to move him soon,” she told him slowly.  She then looked back at Nines and Elijah again before making sure to meet Connor’s eyes. “This isn’t a fair battle anymore, this is just revenge. Would Richard be able to bear the burden of killing Elijah when he doesn’t have a clear head?”

That mention of Nines' potential emotional impact sparked Connor back into action and he nodded at Chloe. “Keep pressure on his wound, I’ll settle this,” he said gravely before standing. The young king then started walking towards Nines and Elijah. “Nines, what are you doing?”

Nines didn't take his eyes off of Elijah as he answered his brother's quiet question. "Revenge."

Connor came to stop right next to Nines and glared down at Elijah. “What’s changed your mind? You went out of your way to keep him alive only a few hours ago, what’s different this time?”  He knew this was Nines’ swirling emotions talking, but deep down there might be a genuine chance that Nines did want this after everything. Connor had to work out which it was.

The prince sneered. "Let's see. He won't agree to sign the peace treaties unless I turn Gavin back over to him, then he broke out of his cell and the first thing he goes and does is try to kill you, because he knows he can't win against me. I'm sick of playing games."

"As am I," Connor told him, placing a hand on Nines' shoulder. "It's about time that all of this was exposed, but this isn't the right way to do it."  Connor then glared down at Elijah. "You know I'm not one to condone death, but Elijah's too dangerous to be left alive. His crimes will be declared for everyone to see, and then we can execute him. But this..." 

He turned back to Nines. "This is just straight up murder, Nines. If he's going to die, let's do this the right way."

Nines curled his lip for a moment and then sighed. He knew that would go over much better politically than this - and would save him a bunch of trouble later - but he fucking hated the idea of walking away from Elijah with him still breathing.  "You're right," Nines bit out and slightly pulled the sword back. "Though, I do have one last thing... This shouldn't kill you," Nines smiled darkly in warning before he drove the sword through the meat of Elijah's thigh.

Rather than yelp in pain, Elijah simply laughed in a deranged manner.  “And you’re so convinced that you and I are that different!” he cackled. “Tell me, how is what you’re doing now any different to what I did to Gavin?”

Before Nines could react, Connor put a firm hand on his brother’s hand which was holding his sword. “Don’t, he’s just trying to goad you. It isn’t worth it,” Connor told him.

Nines looked at Connor blandly. "Oh, I know."  He then pulled out of his brother’s grasp and looked at Elijah in the eye. "The difference between you and me? I can name two. One, I don't enjoy this, and two, time. You've done this to Gavin for years and you started abusing him when he was  _ twelve. _ I would  ** _never_ ** hurt a child."

Elijah didn’t have an answer to that and instead looked over to Chloe, who was watching him with infinitely sad eyes. He instead turned his gaze away and slumped, knowing it was over.  Chloe then turned her attention back to the brothers. “Hank is still in perilous condition, what’s the fastest way to get him help?” she asked.

The prince turned his attention to Hank and his cold demeanour shattered apart. "Fuck, we need to get the doctors and get him in surgery. The fastest way to do that would probably be to carry him," he muttered.

With hard eyes, Connor took Nines’ sword and gun. “Go, take him Nines. You have enough strength, I don’t. I’ll watch Elijah until more guards get here,” he declared coldly.

Chloe then made sure to hold Nines’ gaze. “The bullet is lodged somewhere in his lower chest, you’ll have to be incredibly careful with him or it could go somewhere far worse,” she whispered.  Nines wanted to snark that he knew what the fuck he was doing, but instead he simply nodded. Chloe only meant to help and she wasn't wrong: the top priority was Hank's health and safety. 

He went to Hank's prone form and bent down to pick him up. Hank was a large man, so it wasn't the easiest, but he managed.  "Hey, Hank as much as I appreciate you taking bullets for Connor, the kingdom would fall apart without you. So, you're not allowed to die. Prince's orders," he muttered as he started towards the door.

Connor watched with distraught eyes as Nines carried Hank away, Chloe right behind him, and turned hateful eyes towards Elijah.  “Why? Why go all through this when you always intended to continue the war?” Connor spat at him.

Elijah snorted in disdain. “What better way to eliminate your enemies than to come right into the stronghold under a banner of peace? Honestly, Connor, you would think that you would know how this game of kingdoms works by now.”

The younger king didn’t rise to the bait. “And trying to kill my brother? I would have thought you’d target me from the off.”

“Have you ever heard the legend of the Hydra? You can’t kill it by simply taking the head off the beast, the only way to guarantee a kill is to gouge the heart. You might be the King, but there’s no doubt which one of you is the genuine threat in a war. Richard has always been the more dangerous one out of the two of you, he was always my target. After all, a broken king never thinks clearly," Elijah taunted. 

“And why change now?” Connor asked pointedly.

“Well, I had nothing to lose now. Richard was expecting another attack on himself and Gavin, going after you was against the grain. It had all the elements of surprise," Elijah huffed.

Connor smiled lightly. “And yet we had the biggest surprise of all. Your methods chased away even someone who loved you - and Chloe is going to save not only Hank, but Gavin too. Who would have thought that your own consort would have such a hand in your downfall?”

Elijah glared hatefully at Connor in return.

* * *

Nines and Chloe were going as fast as they could to the medical wing. Hank was going to be unconscious for a while, but he still made a few pained noises in the silent hallway as they travelled past signs of another bloody battle.  Nines turned to Chloe briefly. "I hate how many conversations I'm going to have to have with my guards' families. This last week has cost far too many lives," he muttered.

Chloe didn't say anything as she looked around. Her eyes were impossibly sad, grief and guilt leaking into their soulful blue depths. She had also lost so much in the last few days and there was no going back.  Nines turned away from her and focused his attention back to Hank. They only had a small distance to the medical wing to go.

The pair burst through the doors and all eyes turned towards them.  Allen sprang into action first as soon as he saw them.  ** _"MEDIC!" _ ** He screamed as he tore towards them. "What happened?!"

"Elijah," Nines stated as he continued towards an empty room. "You didn't hear the alarms?"

“No?” Allen paled as he realised just how much he'd missed. "Fuck. Is Connor okay?"  The doctors then appeared before the conversation could continue and their attention zeroed in on Hank. 

"Get him on the operation table. Now," one of them called out. 

Nines obeyed before he stepped away, watching as they started pulled away Hank's armor and cutting away his clothes to get that the wound. "Connor's fine physically. Emotionally he's a wreck." He turned towards the door with a shake of the head. "We need to give the doctors room to work."  The trio walked out and Nines basically collapsed into the nearest chair as tears quietly sprung from his eyes. Overwhelmed and drained, he broke as soon as things started to calm down. 

Allen sat down next to him and put a comforting hand on his back. They sat in silence as they waited for something else to give, Nines slowly coming to terms with everything that had transpired.  Knowing that Nines needed away from everything and to have a moment to himself, Allen quietly spoke to him.  “Nines, why don’t I escort you back to your chambers so that you can get cleaned up? You’ll feel much better with the reminders of tonight washed away.”

It was true, Nines looked a mess covered in so much blood, dust and who knows what else. He looked like he’d come out of a warzone: which in a way he had. A very localised war for his family and future, but they’d at last prevailed.  Nines looked up at Allen and then back to his bloody hands. "I think you're right, but I think I'd rather go to one of the guest rooms," he whispered.  Allen nodded, understanding dawning on his face.

They then walked towards a room which none of the chaos of the last few days had touched.  Nines nodded as he walked outside of Allen's point of view, the guard staying close by after all that had happened. He then closed the bathroom door behind him and let out a shaky sigh. The prince quickly filled the tub and stripped, not too picky on the temperature as he just needed to get the grime off. 

He just needed to get rid of the reminders.

Around twenty minutes later he was clean and had fresh clothes on and his wounds patched. He found Allen again, just where he left him, and the guard smiled as he saw Nines was refreshed. "Feel any better?"

Nines nodded. "Marginally, but it's something at least. Ready to go back to medical wing?"

"Only if you are," Allen checked.

"I am. I want to see Gavin." The pair headed that way and silently entered Gavin's room among the rest of the chaos of the medical wing.  Gavin was still completely unmoving on the bed. Nines had suspected that was the case, but that didn't stop his heart from falling to his feet. He didn't say a word as he silently lay down next to the bed.

"Hey, Gavin." Nines whispered as he took his lovers hand. "I think things are finally going to calm down now..." The prince kept whispering sweet nothings and little assurances into his love's ear until exhaustion finally took over and he felt the world go dark at last.

It was only a few minutes later that Rose wandered into the room to check up on them, but as soon as she set her eyes on the slumbering pair in the room, she broke out into a wide smile. Leaving the room to retrieve an extra blanket, Rose then returned and draped it over Nines. "Sleep well, my princes," she whispered before exiting the room again silently. 

She was truly hopeful that the two of them would now **finally **get the happy ending they deserved.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> How was that for a showdown with Elijah? Live up to everyone's hopes? 😇


	29. Welcome Back

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> **Skye: Sorry that this chapter took so long! At 8k it's a beast! I hope that the wait and softness ahead will be a welcome contrast to before.**
> 
> **Just a bit of warning, the last segment of this chapter focuses on Hank and Connor! If you want to skim over that then just keep an eye out for the bit that starts with 'elsewhere in the castle'. While their romance isn't a major part of this story, this little bit deserved some spotlight.**
> 
> **Hope you all enjoy!**

Nines was dreaming incoherently, flashes of this and that, though it was mild compared to the horrors that he thought his brain should be sorting through.  He finally, slowly, blinked awake to a light sensation. The soft feeling didn't leave and he turned his head to chase it, letting out a soft hum while fully intent on going back to sleep. Then he finally realised with stark clarity that the source of the softness was Gavin: misty green eyes were looking over at Nines, while Gavin's hand was running through Nines' hair. The former slave had a small, but blinding, smile on his face. 

Afraid to break the spell, Nines hadn't moved since the recognition hit. "Gav?" he barely breathed.

Gavin's voice wasn't really working yet, but he just about managed to croak back at his prince. "Hey, Ni. What did I miss?"  He was immensely glad to have Nines there with him, but Gavin's eyes fell to Nines' elbow when the prince shifted. "Ni, what happened to your arm?"

Nines shook his head and climbed onto the bed so that he could wrap his arms around Gavin gently, pulling him close.  "Who cares?" he muttered as he buried his face into the crook of Gavin's neck, trying to hide a fresh wave of tears of relief. "Oh, I'm so glad you're okay. I thought I lost you."

A small laugh escaped Gavin and he leant into Nines as best he could, despite his broken and battered body.  “To be honest, I thought I was gone too...I don’t know how the fuck I’m alive, let alone awake,” he admitted softly before looking out the window. “How long have I been out?”

The prince pulled back and took Gavin's face in his hands so that he could kiss the other man's forehead. "Around a day, give or take. I'm not exactly sure."

Groaning at the pain in his abdomen, Gavin still just about managed to reach up and gently guide Nines towards him, hesitantly connecting their lips in a soft kiss.  “I guess I’ve missed a lot, huh?” he wondered quietly.

Nines smiled into the kiss as they parted. "You could say it's been been chaotic."  Gavin smiled back at Nines before swapping a series of lazy kisses with him, now that he knew the touch was welcome. It was only when he turned too much and caused himself pain from his stab wound that Gavin broke away with a gasp.

“God, this didn’t hurt as much when I first got it,” he bit out at the pain. “How does that work?”

"Adrenaline,” Nines chuckled as he softly encouraged Gavin to lay down once more. “Blocks the pain for a while. I'll fetch a doctor to get you some pain killers."

“Note to self, try not to get in this much of a mess again. Fuck...”  Gavin then turned to look at Nines again, his eyes clearing as he woke up more. “Ni, what happened to you? Not to be rude, but you look a bit of a mess.”

It was true: Nines was pale and his eyes were sunken from exhaustion, and Gavin could see that he wasn’t holding himself as he normally would.  Nines sighed in response. "I really don't want to unload all of this on you right after you woke up, but you would find out sooner or later."  He looked away briefly and chewed on his fist for a moment at the rush of emotions. "I… we, thought you...  _ died." _

Gavin paled. “Wait, then how- Ni, how am I here? How am I alive if you thought I was dead?"  His mind was racing. Did something freaky happen and he’d come back from the dead? It didn’t make sense.

Nines placed a comforting hand on Gavin. "Chloe gave you Red Ice, so you went into a heavy coma." He then flushed, embarrassed. "I had a melt down and ran away from the castle before anyone found out you were okay. I couldn't handle anyone at the time. To me, you'd just died in my arms."

That caused Gavin’s heart to ache and he reached out for Nines. “God, Ni, I’m-I’m so sorry you had to go through that. I was trying to hold on, I really was. There was so much more I wanted to say but I just-“

"Shhh," Nines hushesdlightly, "it's all okay now. You're okay. I'm okay. We're okay."

Tears built up in Gavin’s eyes and a few of them escaped. “I’m sorry, Ni. I just- I wasn't strong enough. Elijah he just...I thought he was going to kill me. O nce I gave in to him, I didn’t know how to get out of it without putting you in more danger. I couldn’t think of another way...”

Nines quickly moved to wipe at Gavin's tears and gave him a reassuring smile. "Gavin, baby, I know. Elijah is a terrifying and evil man. You did what you thought was right and I will never hold that against you. Oh God, I can't even imagine how scared you were. Fletcher told me what little he saw."

Gavin closed his eyes in shame and looked down at the bedcovers. “I should have just let him do it, at least then you wouldn’t have been in anything like the same danger. The one thing I never thought I would do is betray you, and I gave into Elijah.  I...don’t know how you can look at me, given what I did.”

The prince reached out and gently grabbed Gavin's face, forcing his lover to look in his eyes. He knew he had to be completely honest. "Gavin, what you did scared the hell out of me, but I knew that wasn't you. I knew from the look in your eyes that you were cornered and desperate. You couldn't lie to me. You still love me and that's all I need. The only regret I have is that I hurt  _ you." _

That didn’t completely chase away Gavin’s guilt, but it gave him enough courage to reach out for Nines and try to hug him close.  “Ni, can I...?” he whispered, wanting to feel his prince close.

"Please," Nines answered as he gently pulled Gavin into his arms. The hug was gentle but it pulled so much of the ache out of heart and soul. "I love you so much," he whispered into the crown of Gavin's hair as he started placing soft kisses there while gently running a hand up and down his back.

“I love you too, Ni,” Gavin murmured back, pressing kisses of his own behind Nines’ ear. 

They sat there for a minute, just enjoying the peace after everything that had happened when Gavin thought of something.  “Ni, you said that Chloe gave me Red Ice. Is she okay? If she helped me, there’s no way that Elijah doesn’t know...”

"The last I heard, she's on route to a safe house," Nines said with a reassuring smile. "Elijah knows about this whole thing, but I promise he won't be a threat to Chloe or you ever again. Connor's making sure of that."

Gavin pulled back and looked at Nines in mild shock. “Wait, what? King Connor? Ni, what’s going on? How much have I missed?”

"Honestly? Things have been a bit hectic. I'll sum it up as quickly as I can." Nines tried to smile, but it was probably more of a grimace. "After you ended up here, I went and talked to Connor about what was going on between us, along with the truth about Elijah, but during the time we talked Elijah had someone slip you Thirium. After you recovered from the poison I may have gone and challenged Elijah to a battle... I won.” 

At Gavin's shocked expression, Nines went on. “I didn't kill him, but looking back, I probably should have. We locked him up. That was when Chloe gave you the Red Ice to try and help you heal, but we didn't know that. I thought you died in my arms. Then I may have slipped out of the castle and drank myself stupid...Until Chloe found me by chance, told me you weren't dead and Allen dragged me back to the castle. We talked to Elijah and got some more information - then he broke out of the cell and tried to kill Connor. He shot Hank instead...and now isn't able to walk because I separated his thigh muscles from his leg bone."

Struggling to process all of that, Gavin just blinked for a few seconds. “Would it be appropriate to just respond to that with ‘fuck’?”

"Fuck, indeed," Nines agreed. 

Gavin mulled it all over in his mind before speaking quietly. “...Did Elijah kill anyone?”

"As far as I am aware he killed a few of my guards, I'm not sure how Hank is doing quite yet. He should be out of surgery by now though."

“Shit...” Gavin sighed in regret. “I wonder if I could have done something more, if I could have fought back against him or something. So many people have ended up hurt because I didn’t expose him sooner.”  Gavin looked up at Nines again. “But he’s really not a danger anymore? To anyone?”

"He'd be hard pressed to hurt anyone in his condition," Nines assured. He then  reached out and caressed Gavin's cheek. "Baby, it's not your fault. You did everything in your power to prevent him from doing anything worse. He's also going to be standing trial soon."

“Connor’s putting him on trial?” Gavin gasped. “Fuck, that’s dangerous, Ni. If word gets back to Cybera, they’ll just use it as an excuse to step up the war.”  Gavin then slumped back. “Well, they will once they stop squabbling about who would take over Elijah’s throne since he’s not got an heir. I know the Perkins’ are Elijah’s favoured noble line, but there're a lot of others who wouldn’t give up on pouncing for the throne.”

He crumpled a little more. “As much as I hate Elijah, he keeps the sharks at bay in my homeland. My country might descend into civil war without him...”

"Connor can deal with that for now," Nines said simply. "Elijah tried to assassinate him with his own hands. He's not going to walk away from that. Plus, Con's seriously pissed that Elijah shot Hank." He then sighed. "As much as I hate it the war may have to go for a little longer."

“Yeah, I know,” Gavin sighed in aggravation. “I’m just worried about my friends at home. As Elijah’s staff, they’ll be vulnerable if they won’t pledge allegiance to someone else - and depending on who comes out on top, they could be in danger.” He clenched a fist in anger. “I hope they’ll be okay...”

Nines swallowed and nodded, he understood that worry. "I'm sure they will be. I don't think things will get any more messy than they have been and are right now."

Gavin looked up at Nines, his face showing his uncertainty.  “Ni, what’s- what’s going to happen to me? I’m one of Elijah’s closest servants, and he technically sent me to kill you. Where does that leave me?”

"Safe with me," Nines replied firmly. "If anyone wants to hurt or get to you, they'll have to get through me. You don't need to worry about anything right now except for getting better."

Nodding wearily, Gavin lay back on the bed but didn’t let Nines’ hand go. He was still exhausted and aching, but he didn’t want to give away too much of the pain to Nines.  “How bad am I? Am I going to be bed bound for much longer?”

"I'll have to talk to the doctors, but from my estimate at least a few days." Nines knew that Gavin shouldn't be walking for a while, this wasn't an injury he could bounce back from instantly.

Letting out a frustrated sigh, Gavin leaned back and looked out the window. “I’m just that used to working with any injury, I guess it’s not in my nature to sit around and wait to heal.”  He let out a cynical chuckle. “Guess it got beaten out of me.”

"That's almost ironic," Nines joked lightly, "but look on the bright side: we get to spend this time together. This will be the last time you'll have to heal from something like this, so make it count, I guess."

“Oh yeah, sure, cause I’m totally going to miss that,” Gavin snorted, before the truth of the statement slammed home for him.  He turned to look at Nines with wide eyes. “Ni, it’s over, isn’t it? I...I’m free of him, aren’t I?” Tears were starting to gather in Gavin’s eyes.

Nines nodded. "He's never going to have any power over you ever again." He gave a soft loving smile. "You're completely free, my love." 

A couple of errant tears slipped free and Gavin let out a sob mixed with a laugh. “Holy shit, I...”  He then smiled brightly up at Nines. “I hope this doesn’t stop you wanting to marry me sooner rather than later,” he joked, “since I’m not in imminent peril anymore.”

The prince had to choke back a happy sob at just how blinding Gavin's smile was. "We'll just wait long enough to do some actual wedding planning," he chuckled.

Gavin’s smile became a bit wobbly. “Afraid you’ll have to do all that yourself, Ni, I’ve never even seen a wedding let alone helped plan one.”

"Rose will be picking up the slack for you anyway, she's somewhat excited," Nines smiled.

Suddenly getting an eerie feeling, Gavin blinked in confusion. “Why do I have such a sense of deja vu?” he wondered quietly.

Nines blinked as he too realized they already talked about this. "This is very close to the conversation we had right before you succumbed to the Red Ice," he answered softly.

"I don't really remember it, I just kinda get flashes of you here, but I didn't know if it was something I dreamt or not," Gavin replied, reaching out for Nines.  "So, what happens now?"

"Well, I need to go talk to the doctors and then you should sleep some more," Nines mused as he took the offered hand. "After that? We have to deal with the political fallout from the last week."

Gavin sighed. "I wish I could help with that rather than just sit here uselessly… especially as a lot of this is from me, unintentionally." 

A gentle knock on the door then caught their attention, to which Rose peered around. A broad smile came to her face as she caught sight of both Nines and Gavin awake. "I'd hoped to find just one of you awake, I didn't expect both of you!" she cheered softly.

"We’re both finally awake," Nines beamed as Rose approached the bed. 

Rose's smile softened a bit as she took Gavin's face and she gave him a soft peck on the forehead. "I'm so glad to see you're up and about," she told him earnestly.

Blushing, Gavin laughed lightly. "Well, not quite up and about yet, but I'm awake. And given what Ni's told me, that's definite progress."  He smiled lovingly at his prince and made sure their hands were linked tightly. "Sounds like I've missed a lot. Are you all right, Rose?"

"I'm fine," Rose said lightly as she turned slightly towards Nines. "What about you? How are you feeling?"

Nines scratched the back of his neck, knowing he couldn't lie to her. "My elbow feels terrible and so does my side, but I feel better overall after getting some sleep that wasn't from fainting. How long was I out for? Any news on Hank?"

Rose sat at the foot of the bed so that she could smile at the other two as she passed on what news she could.  "You've been out for almost eleven hours, honey," she told Nines softly. "I think the events of the past week have finally caught up with you. Hank is doing well. Though he bled out a lot, the bullet didn't hit any major organs or cause devastating injury. He'll probably carry the scars from it and the surgery for the rest of his life, but he'll recover. 

"Connor is with him a few doors along, if you want to go check on them," Rose said gently. "He hasn't left Hank's side since he woke up an hour ago."

_ "Eleven hours?”  _ Nines let out a whistle, “I haven't slept that much all at once since I was a teenager.  I'm happy to hear that Hank's okay. I'll go see them here in a little while."

"Well, since you're awake Gavin, I've got a surprise for you. Bear with me," Rose winked while quietly exiting the room.

Gavin looked at Nines in mild concern. "Should I be worried?"

Nines probably didn't comfort Gavin with his equally surprised and concerned face. "I have no idea what she's planning. So, my guess is a solid maybe."

"Great...She's not prone to nasty surprises, right?" Before Gavin could get an answer from Nines though, Rose came back through with a very familiar figure. "Chloe?!" Gavin gasped.

Chloe beamed and closed the distance to hug Gavin gently. "Thank god you're alright, you have no idea how worried I was about what effects the Red Ice might have on you after everything you've been through...how do you feel?" she asked softly.

"Physically, like I've been weighed down by a million bricks. Mentally? I don't think I've ever been better," he answered honestly.

Nines blinked and looked at Rose over the hugging pair.  _ 'Why is she still here?'  _ he mouthed slowly.  Rose smiled sheepishly and shrugged.  _ 'Beats me.' _

Hugging him tightly, Chloe sighed into Gavin's shoulder. "I'm so glad to hear that. I just had to see that you and Hank were all right after using the Red Ice on you both. Now that I know you're both on the mend, I guess it's time for me to go," she said quietly.

Gavin pulled back and looked at her sadly. "What?! No, Chloe don't-"

She placed a finger on his lips. "Gavin, I have to. I've caused so much of this mess and I shouldn't be here. I **can't** be here, not with the chaos that's about to unfold. It's better for everyone if I vanish."

Gavin looked like he was going to argue, so Nines spoke up. "As much as it is not ideal. It is in her best interest to lay low for a little while. I have already set aside and had a safe house stocked for her," he reassured. "We don't know how the Elijah issue is going to go and her safety is what's most important at the moment."

Looking at Nines in mild hurt, Gavin was surprised when Chloe reached down for his hand. “Don’t worry, I won’t be just sitting there. I’ll be keeping busy, and I’ll be sending letters back home. Do you want me to let Tina and Chris know that you’re now free and engaged to Prince Richard, or shall I let you be the one to tell them?”

A sad smile came to Gavin’s face. “I’ll tell them,” he decided. He then looked at Nines again. “I know you probably don’t trust most of Elijah’s servants, but I can vouch for those who helped me over the years. Without many of them, I wouldn’t still be here.  Could I offer a place here for Chris and Tina’s families? I’d hate to think that they’d be caught up in the infighting that’s about to erupt back home...” Gavin whispered, almost ashamed to ask for something, but he didn’t want to abandon his friends.

Nines nodded. "Of course I would do that for you. Any friends of yours are welcome without question. Besides that, we've always had borders open to refugees," he said as he looked to the window. "You know, since my family engaged so much of this conflict. Just give me the word and I'll do everything in my power to get them over the border safely."

Gavin smiled tearily at Nines. “Thank you.”

Chloe then gave Gavin another gentle hug. “I should probably go, I know that I’ve caused enough trouble and I’m still getting suspicious looks from many of the guards. Best that I don’t cause any more alarm,” she said while leaving him a brief kiss on the cheek. “Be happy and safe, you deserve it.”

“I will, and I don’t want you vanishing completely,” Gavin told her. “You did so much for me, Chloe, I still want you here.”

She smiled sadly at him as she stood. “I don’t know if what I failed to do for all those years would ever make up for it, Gavin. I hope that someday I can redeem myself for that.”

Nines watched the pair silently. He honestly had a few mixed feelings about Chloe, but he was giving her the benefit of the doubt for Gavin's sake. Then he had to think about how the fuck he was going to tell Gavin the truth about his heritage. 

He didn't want to deal with politics; he just wanted to take Gavin and hide away, have a loving and simple life. A life where he was a painter and Gavin could do whatever he pleased, trying to make up for the years that he couldn't do anything. A life where they could dance to a record in the dark of the night. A life where they could be married in a beautiful and simple ceremony. He just wanted a life where they could be in love and have a life together at all.

As Chloe left out the door, Gavin watched her go sadly. When she’d vanished from sight, he noticed that Nines was looking pensive.  “Ni, are you okay?” he asked softly, reaching out for his hand.

Nines shook his head and quickly took the offered hand. "I'm okay. I'm just thinking about what ifs." He smiled and tried to move away from his wishful thoughts. "I need to get you some painkillers and the doctors probably want to know you're awake."

Gavin nodded and laid back again. “Painkillers would be nice, actually. I’m used to being in pain but if the offer is there to not be, I’ll jump at it. Come back soon though?” he asked hopefully. At the side of the room, Rose smiled at their interactions.

"Of course," Nines cooed as he leaned in and gave Gavin a loving kiss. "I'll just be a few." He reluctantly pulled back and started towards the door.  He stopped by Rose and gave her a soft peck on her cheek. "Please, keep an eye on him for me?"

"I'll take care of him," Rose assured as she pulled away and went towards the bed.

Nines shot them one last look before he exited the room. Several people looked his way and he gave an awkward smile. "He's awake. Mind checking him over and getting him some painkillers?"

"Right away, Your Majesty." A small team of doctors went into the room with Nines on their heels.

Gavin endured a small set of tests with gritted teeth as the doctors tried to see what effects were lingering after the Red Ice, in case giving him the painkillers would have any adverse effects.  Once they were satisfied it was safe, they gave Gavin the medication and turned back to Nines, speaking to him quietly. 

“There seems to be no remnants of the Red Ice in his system, which is both a good and bad thing. Gavin’s body is still highly fragile, so we would urge constant bed rest for several days. This will allow the worst of the stab wound to heal. Right now that is still a mild danger to him, but it is healing very well.  We don’t know how that stuff works yet, but there’s little doubting that it probably saved his life after the Thirium poisoning. It’s a real shame that we can’t study it more, the effects are remarkable.”

Nines nodded. "Of course, I'll ensure that he rests. Who knows? Maybe we will find a way to get some medical research done on it." He thought about Elijah's book with the notes on Red Ice. Maybe those could turn up in one of the labs sometime. Mysteriously.  He went back to the conversation at hand. "Thank you for your service. I really appreciate everything you all have done for me over the last few days."

“We’re simply carrying out our duties, Prince Nines. I’m sure you’ll probably be pleased to hear that Hank is recovering well himself. King Connor is still with him, if you wish to see them,” the doctor said with a small smile.

"I'll be along that way soon. Thank you." Nines turned away from the small group of doctors then walked back over to Gavin and Rose.  "I hope that makes you feel better," he smiled lovingly at his fiance. "I will need to go visit Connor and Hank soon."

“Well, I’m not exactly going anywhere,” Gavin chuckled. “I’ll still be here when you get back.”

Rose then sat next to Gavin and smiled at Nines. “And I’ll make sure that he’s not bored out of his mind. Being bed-bound is not fun,” she smiled knowingly.

Nines chuckled. "Yeah, I wasn't the best behaved when I was on bed rest, was I? But at least you guys let me paint or I would have climbed out the window."

She sighed fondly in remembrance. "You did try that the second time, though. You really need to stop trying to escape out of windows."

The prince grinned. "I wouldn't be me if I wasn't trying to escape at least once a week," he joked.

Rose shook her head in exasperation. "You've always been trouble, Nines."

Gavin smiled at the fond tone. “I need to hear more of these stories.” Rose just winked at him.

“What do you think I’ll be sharing with you while he’s gone?” she said with an entirely too innocent smile.

Nines gasped dramatically at the insinuation. "I can't believe it!"

Rose let out a soft laugh at his dramatics. "Go see Connor and Hank, I won't tell him anything too embarrassing."

Rolling his eyes, Nines shook his head. "I somehow don't believe you." He was smiling brightly at the pair. "I'm heading out. I'll be back soon."  The pair waved him away as he exited the room. He laughed to himself and took a turn to where the doctors had said the other two were earlier.

Gavin smiled at Rose shyly as Nines left. “What do you class as too embarrassing, Rose?” he wondered.

“With you, Gavin, I doubt the Prince will really care about what I tell you. I’m sure he would share all of them himself - well maybe not times like when he got locked in the stables overnight and woke up from where he’s curled up in some hay, only to have one of the horses poop on him, but you get the idea,” she sniggered.

A laugh tore through Gavin but he whined when it agitated his wounds. “Ow, fuck...Okay, I need to know more of those sorts of stories.”

“Just tell me how embarrassing you want them, I’ll happily share,” Rose winked at him.

* * *

Nines made his way further down the medical wing and stopped short of the right door, taking a deep breath before he pushed it open. "Hello, Connor. Hello, Hank."

Hank was sitting on the hospital bed with a small smile on his face and Connor was perched on the bed next to him. It looked a little bit like Nines had interrupted a conversation.  "Hello, Nines," Connor said with a small smile, "what brings you over here?"

"Regardless of whether you've married him, Hank's family and I want to know that he's okay after taking a bullet to the gut." Nines rolled his eyes as he approached the bed and sat in the empty chair that was likely meant for Connor. He then looked at Hank. "How are you feeling? That shit hurts."

Hank shrugged as much as his bandages would let him. "All things considered I'm pretty good. I'm gonna scar, I just know it, but then again who doesn't scar from a bullet wound?"

"Isn't that the truth," Nines mused.

Connor then spoke up. "But he’s okay and that's really all that matters to me. That attack was not enjoyable."

"Yeah, I'm very glad I heard the alarm bell for your room before they cut it." Nines chewed his lip guiltily. "Though this is all technically my fault anyway."

Hank snorted and then winced. "No, you've been right about King Elijah from day one. I just can't believe the way things played out." A look of regret crossed his face, but then it turned a bit softer. "How is that boy of yours? Gavin, was it?"

Nines looked down. "He's awake, and the worst is over, but he's not leaving bed rest for at least a week. I'm just glad he's okay."

Connor and Hank exchanged a look before Connor spoke up. "I think I need to formally meet Gavin, since you are so set on keeping him. I'm still not completely sure about any of this, but meeting him does seem like a requirement at this point."

The younger brother blinked dumbly. Connor was right: in all this time, he'd never actually shared a word with Gavin. "Huh, you're right. Though maybe not right now? He stresses easily and with his injuries I don't know how'd he'd react to that."  Connor nodded, but gave him a tight lipped smile. 

"Well, Nines. I'd never thought you'd find someone. I'm happy for you," Hank piped up.

Nines smiled brightly. "Me neither, Hank, and thank you."

"Uh-huh," Hank said as he stifled a yawn.

Connor smiled at Hank and then stood up and walked over to Nines. He then leaned in to whisper in Nines' ear. "I hope this works out well in the end for you and you’re not making me deal with all this political shit for a fling."

Nines smirked back at his brother, but made sure to keep his voice down. "Well, if Hank taking a bullet for you doesn't get you to marry him. I'm gonna kick your ass."

The king sputtered and pulled back, face a bit flushed.  _ "Nines!"  _ he exclaimed, to which Nines let out a hearty laugh.

"I'm not kidding. Now you've seen my skill set I hope I strike fear into you enough to get you to actually fucking do something for yourself," he challenged.

Connor glowered at his brother. "I resent this threat."

"Oh, piss," Nines jeered playfully. "Take care of Hank and I'll go take care of Gavin. Make sure to wait until tomorrow to come meet him."

"I can do that," Connor said with a small smile, "See you soon."

"See ya, Nines," Hank called out.

"See you soon," Nines smiled and then departed.

* * *

“...so there Nines is, suddenly getting caught up in the middle of a food fight that my husband and Adam started, and I walk back into the room to see the chaos. There’s melted chocolate everywhere in the kitchen, and all over all three of them. Add flour and butter into the mix, and they looked like they’d raided a bakery,” Rose told Gavin with an exasperated shake of the head.

“Let me tell you, after all the cleaning that boy made me do after he escalated the fight, I promptly took a month’s holiday from the palace to a) clean my house and punish my boys and b) to have him learn just what it meant to tidy up messes. Heaven knows Nines was so untidy when he was younger. After that though, he was infinitely better,” she smirked.

“I wonder why,” Gavin snickered, beaming. “Fucking hell that’s crazy, you really are essentially Ni’s mum, aren’t you?” he asked with a grin.

“I swore I would try and keep that boy out of trouble, and I do my best. As you have figured out, I’m sure, he does have somewhat of a tendency to just jump in without a great deal of thought for his own safety. It’s a dangerous habit, really.”  Nines returned just as Rose finished, and she smiled sweetly at him as he raised an eyebrow. “What? You know it’s true,” she shrugged.

Nines smiled sweetly as he walked up to Rose then placed hands on her shoulder before he leant in to kiss her cheek. "You did wonderfully in raising me. I wouldn’t be a quarter of the man I am now without you," he chuckled shyly. "But I've always believed windows are better than doors and swords are easier than words." 

He pulled back and sat down on the bed before giving Gavin a peck on the lips. Once he'd succeeded in making his fiancée blush, he turned back to Rose. "I am infinitely thankful you raised me, instead of Lady Amanda or heaven forbid my birth parents. It's a wonder Connor still has a heart."

Rose nodded solemnly. "It's a very good thing Connor has always had a mind of his own and didn't end up cold and cynical."

Nines agreed. "I never liked Lady Amanda. She tried far too hard to pit Connor and Cecil against each other."

"That really was a shame, those boys really were close," Rose smiled softly. "Well, until you came along. Cecil spent as much time as he could with you after that."

"Yeah, we were always really close," Nines sighed. He glanced at Gavin who was listening with rapt attention and wide eyes. "My mother, the Queen, didn't like that," he explained before going back to the previous thread of conversation. “Honestly, she was happy when I went and spent time with you away from the castle. Made it to where the twins weren't bothered by my bad behavior or my existence."

"The queen just blamed you for a lot of things you never could have helped," Rose said in a flat tone, one that Gavin hadn't heard from her before.

"Isn't that the truth?" Nines rolled his eyes and decided it was the end of that topic. "Enough about that," he said quickly as he turned to Gavin. "Connor would like to meet you tomorrow."

Gavin paled and looked between both Nines and Rose in shock. “Wait, what?! Oh fuck, what the hell is he going to think about me after all that’s gone on? I’ve caused so much trouble, I dread to think of Connor’s opinion of me...”

Nines reached out and caressed Gavin's face. "I'm sure he'll like you, he's more than convinced that Elijah was the root of all the problems. But honestly, we really don't have a choice on the matter. If I tell him no, he'll come see you by himself and I'm guessing you would like that even less."

Slumping in equal measures fear and resignation, Gavin nodded slowly. “Okay, it can’t be that bad, right?” he squeaked a bit, trying to put false cheer into his voice.

Rose put a soothing hand on his shoulder. “Connor can come across as rather aloof, but he’s a very good ruler and normally a very good judge of character. I think this whole business with Elijah might have shaken that self-belief a little, but I don’t think anyone would have called the truth of that monstrosity,” she snapped as she finished.

Nines snorted. "Just for the record I called it from day one. I mean I didn't know the full extent but I have very clearly been telling Connor from all the way back after the first peace talk that Elijah was not a man to be trusted."  Rose just gave him an unimpressed look.  "What?" Nines blinked and then he turned sheepish as the penny dropped. "Ah. Yes, like Rose said Connor is not normally this much of an idiot. He's actually a very genuine and kind man. But I swear to God, I will kill him if he doesn't marry Hank after this whole fiasco."

Rolling her eyes, Rose gave Nines a stern stare. “Yes, well, gloating about your psychic powers aside, perhaps you should focus less on Connor and Hank’s potential wedding and concentrate on your own?” she suggested, while looking at Gavin.

Going red in embarrassment, Gavin’s eyes fell. “Umm, this is where I have to confess that I’ve never been to a wedding or even seen one, so I have no idea what goes into one or what it entails.”

That caused Rose to smile sympathetically. “Don’t worry, dear, I’m sure Nines can easily run you through how a wedding works - and he can embellish it with everything that will adapt it to a royal wedding.”  Nines thought about making a quip about 'soldiers intuition' but decided against it. 

Then his heart dropped into his throat and he was sure his face paled. Painful memories of talking to Gavin as he succumbed to the Red Ice flashed in his mind's eye. "Maybe some other time," he smiled tightly.

Gavin spied Nines’ reaction and reached out to him. “Ni? You okay?” he asked softly, seeing the pain in the prince’s eyes.

Nines swallowed and shrugged his shoulders. "Yeah, just remembered something. I'll be okay, love." He scolded himself for not immediately telling the truth, but he didn't want Gavin to hurt. Memory loss was not something to fuck with.  "But I must admit, Rose and I have already decided that you're wearing Dad's suit from their wedding," he stated playfully, redirected the topic.

That caused Gavin’s gaze to snap between the two of them. “Wait, what? Really?” He wondered reverently. “Why would you let me borrow something like that?”

Rose kissed Gavin’s temple. “Because I can’t think of anything more fitting than seeing one of my sons get married and a piece of my husband be there, it would be just too perfect,” she said a little tearfully.  A playful spark then came to her eye. “Plus, if you are wearing my husband’s suit, you know that it means someone else will have to wear my dress,” she added with a smirk towards Nines. 

Gavin started howling in laughter, even if it caused him pain. That image was just too priceless.  "Mum. If I put that dress on I am never getting out of it again and it would be short enough on me to make me look like a floozy," Nines snickered at the image.

"Well, I don't think Gavin would complain at the easy access, that's the beauty of a dress after all. You don't have to take it off for some fun," Rose teased with a wink at Nines, to which Gavin just blushed and spluttered.  He totally was not going to give away that he'd been thinking exactly the same thing.

Nines felt his mouth fall open and his face turn a deep beet red. He sputtered but he couldn't produce any words. Dirty images danced through his imagination and he felt himself turn an even darker shade of red.  Rose smiled knowingly and giggled. "Oh it's too much fun making you blush, you go the most gorgeous colour of red. It turns out that your fiancé does too," she pointed out while giving a kiss to each of their cheeks. 

"I'd better head out and see about the news from the rest of the castle, poor Fletcher has been running things with everyone cooped up here, so I'd better make sure that he's not about to keel over from stress. I'd also better check in with Lady Amanda to let her know that everyone is recovering - she wanted an update," Rose said while standing, and gave Nines a hug as she came to stand next to him. "Is there anything else I can do for you while I'm out?"

Nines shook his head. "Just tell Fletcher that once his shift is over he's getting a month of holiday. Honestly, after this I think I'm going to give everyone a holiday." He groaned as he thought about the logistics of such a task then smiled  as Rose pulled out of the hug, "Love you, Mum."

“Mhmmm,” she hummed with a smile before leaving a kiss on his cheek. “Love you too. Try not to get into too much trouble while I’m gone boys, as difficult as I know that might be for the two of you,” she teased with an easy smile before walking out the door, giving them a small wave as she departed.

Gavin chuckled before looking at Nines again. “And then there were two.”

"Looks like it," Nines grinned as he leaned in and placed a soft kiss on Gavin's lips. 

"I know you've heard this question at least a million times by now, but how are you feeling, love?"

“In all honesty? Everything hurts, but I’m used to that. I just don’t know what to do with myself, I’ve never really had the chance to sit and just, you know, recover. I don’t know what to do with myself,” Gavin chuckled.  “What about you, how are you feeling?”

Nines smiled and stroked Gavin's hair lovingly. He mused over what he would say and decided to be pretty honest, Gavin deserved that.  "Well, my fainting spells are back, but with everything that's gone on it's not entirely unexpected." He chewed his lip. "Other than that, I'm just a bit sore, but that will go away soon. I'm just happy we're both here together, so overall I'm pretty damn good." Nines then leaned in and placed yet another soft kiss on Gavin's lips.

Gavin reached up for Nines' hand and took it in his own, but he was getting pretty tired. Being in constant pain and still healing meant he didn't have a tremendous amount of energy.  "Yeah, we're here: and we've got a future. As someone with no past or even really exists in my kingdom, that's an insane thought," he smiled warmly, though a little dopily as he yawned. "Fuck, I've been asleep for how long? How can I be wanting to sleep more..."

"You're okay, like you said we have time. Get some sleep," Nines cooed and gave Gavin's hand a small squeeze, "Recovering from a stab to the gut is exhausting, but you'll be right as rain in a few weeks."

"Oh come on, a few weeks?" Gavin moaned. "I've seen Red Ice fix up worse than this in not even two-" Another yawn interrupted his rant.

"Fuck it, I'll moan more about this later," he decided while closing his eyes again. "Will you get some more rest too, Ni?"

Nines chuckled. "I only have experience healing the old fashioned way. I guess we'll find out." 

He looked at the door. He really didn't have time to rest anymore for a while. His kingdom needed him. He looked at Gavin, who looked so peaceful. "I'll try my best, but I have to do some royal things first." 

The war inside of him continued to fight as he answered the question. His kingdom, himself, or Gavin?

Gavin hummed, half-asleep, but kept a hold of Nines' hands. "Love you, Ni...I'll try not to sleep as long this time," he joked before dozing off into slumber.

"I love you too," Nines mused happily.  He looked between the door and their hands, chuckling to himself. "Well, I can't leave now it seems." 

He snuggled into the bed and let his own eyes drift closed again, letting himself fall asleep. The kingdom and chaos can wait a little while longer.

* * *

Elsewhere in the castle, Connor was sitting next to Hank while writing out several decrees. He finally put the pen down and looked over to the other man. "Hank?" he asked quietly. The larger man cracked open his eyes and hummed. "What do you think of all that has happened over the last week? What do you think of that slave, Gavin, that Nines has done all this for?"

Hank contemplated it for a second before answering. "One thing Nines has always had is an incredible sense of someone's character. Ever since nearly being killed years ago, he lets very few people close. Not only was Nines willing to face down Elijah to protect Gavin and almost got himself killed in the process, it was clear to see from those journal entries that Elijah feared who Gavin was.  I've not spoken to Gavin personally, but Rose and Fletcher both have: and are more than willing to vouch for the fact that there's something genuine between them. Beyond that, I can't say, Con," he answered honestly. "What's going through that head of yours?"

Connor chewed his lip in contemplation. "I really don't know, Hank. Nines is different than he was before the war, but that could be said about everyone." He sighed. "I've heard rumors from the grapevine that Nines intends to marry Gavin."

"Might not be such a bad thing," Hank offered with a small smile. "If Nines has finally found someone and he's this sure about it, speaks volumes in my opinion. Can't say I'm behind it or not until I meet Gavin myself, but it might not be an issue."  He looked at Connor knowingly. "Is this about you being worried that Nines is rushing into something, or that you aren't such a big believer in marriage?" he asked softly.

The king felt his face go red in both shame and in response to Hank's soft words; he only refused to marry because he couldn't stand the idea of having to play pretend with some other royal. He loved Hank, loved him with every fibre of his being and he had for  _ years _ now. Nines' words and threats echoes in his head as he looked at Hank and shook his head. "I will always worry about Nines rushing into things, it's a bad habit of his- and I never said I didn't believe in marriage."

"Well, from what I've seen so far this time, I think Nines has got this one right. We only know some of the story of course, but I think this might be the one for him," Hank said with a tight smile before looking down again.  "Con, it doesn't take a genius to figure out from how you bitch about marriage that you don't believe in it. I remember all your moaning from across the years about political matches and all that shit, and I don't blame you for it. I'm well aware of how long you've held off on a match because you don't want to do it with just anyone."

Connor bit down on a wave of longing and a bit of hurt. He looked up at Hank with wide, hopeful eyes. "I don't want to marry just anyone, I've always wanted to marry you," the statement was said as barely a whisper but it could be loud and clear in the quiet room.

Hank stared at Connor in shock for a second before it morphed to sadness. "That makes two of us then..." he muttered back, knowing that as much as it was something he'd wanted for years, it wasn't a possibility. Not with Connor's duty as a king.  "Fuck, sorry I shouldn't have said that. You knowing that isn't going to help or change anything..." Hank snapped at himself while closing his eyes and silently fuming internally.

The younger man blinked and tears welled up in his eyes, scrambling closer to Hank and grabbing his hands in his own. "You want to marry me?" he breathed.

Looking up at Connor again, Hank sighed and tightened the grip on his hands. "Connor, I've loved you for years. Of course I want to marry you..." he admitted softly before looking down once more.

Connor felt tears slip down his cheeks the sheer amount of emotion no longer able to stay inside. His hands went to Hank's face and he made his lover look him in the eyes. "Then what do you say? Let's get married."

Hank's mouth fell open in shock. "Connor, what about your duty as a king? You need an heir, and that's something I can't give you. You know I'd love nothing more than to marry you, but what about the country? You've always put that first."

"You're right," Connor said, letting the words hang for a moment, "I've always put my country first. I know it's my duty, but I want something for myself for once. I don't want you to be my dirty little secret anymore. I want you to rule with me, more than you already do."

"Connor..." Hank then pulled Connor towards him enough so that they could kiss. "I'm not sure what help you really think I'll be, but I'd give it my damn best shot for you. If you're really willing to put up with me for the rest of our lives, then yes. Yes I want to marry you."

"I've already had you for almost twenty years. I'll have you as many more as I can possibly have," Connor beamed as he kept placing gentle kisses on Hank's lips. "Oh, god. I'm so happy right now."

"That makes two of us, Con," Hank smiled between the kisses. "I suppose you'd better go and tell Nines, he dropped enough hints! But maybe we should get some rest first?"

"Nines can wait," Connor snickered as snuggled into Hank's side. "A nap sounds heavenly."

"Yeah, I think we both need one. We've got a lot going on ahead of us now." Hank held Connor as close as he could. "Sleep well, Con."

"You too, Hank," Connor mumbled as he was already drifting off. He was warm and more content than he had been in a while. A nap was well earned.


	30. Midnight Honesty

** _Nines' back was against the trench as he was drawing away at his sketchbook. The air was quieter than it had been, but the sound of war still echoed in the background nonetheless. _ ** ** _He didn't often get the chance to draw anymore, but he was taking the opportunity while he had it._ **

** _"Lovely night. Isn't it, Chapman?" Came the voice of one of his fellow service man, Gordan Person._ **

** _Nines looked up from his book and nodded in reply. "It is. What are you still doing up? You're not on watch."_ **

** _Person shrugged while taking a seat next to Nines. "Can't sleep. You know how it goes."_ **

** _"Isn't that the truth?" Nines mused as he flipped to a new page in his sketchbook._ **

** _The other man's eyes sparkled as he leaned over, trying to get a look. "Ah, you hiding something?" He joked as he reached for the page Nines had just flipped away from._ **

** _Nines jerked away, in mild panic at the thought of something so personal being seen. "Hey, no! Just wanted to start something new."_ **

** _"Sure," Person laughed as he lunged for the book again. The motion caused Nines' kit bag to tip over, spilling several things onto the ground. Namely, something very shiny that instantly caught the eye. _ ** ** _Nines gasped as he reached out for that as quickly as he could, but Person beat him to it. He _ ** ** _whistled while admiring the trinket. "Oh, man. What's this?" He cackled as he brought it up to a nearby light to take a better look at it._ **

** _"It's mine, that's what it is," Nines said as flatly as he could, despite the sheer panic that was boiling in his stomach. He made a desperate reach for the object but was stopped, _ ** ** _Person's smile dropped off his face. The prince knew that the other man had realised what the object was: a royal crest, one of the very few things that Nines had taken from home._ **

** _Nines felt his heart jump into his throat._ **

Gavin wasn’t a heavy sleeper, even with all the painkillers floating through his system, he was still hyper aware of his surroundings - the result of years of abuse, you were always alert for the guilty party coming back for another round.

So when Nines started calling out in his sleep and twitching, the movements growing more violent, Gavin recognised the signs of a nightmare. 

“Ni,” he called out, stretching over with his arm as best he could when he wasn’t able to shift off his back. “Ni, it’s me. Wake up.”

** _"This a royal marker. Only the royal family have these," Person's tone was flat as he stared between the object and the runaway prince before him. _ **

** _Nines swallowed, trying to keep his face neutral. "Really? I found that near the capital a few months ago," he lied as smoothly as he could._ **

** _Person scowled and then looked at Nines directly. "I don't believe you."_ **

** _The prince faltered; he'd worked on that lie for months just in case something like this happened. "What do you mean?"_ **

** _"It's yours, isn't it." It wasn't said like a question._ **

** _"Of course it's mine. I found it," Nines tried to laugh off._ **

** _"No, like it's actually yours." Person said coldly as he leaned forward. "I knew you looked familiar." _ ** ** _Nines froze, words stuck in his throat, which left him unable to refute the claim. _ ** ** _"What're you doing out here, Your Highness?" Person did an exaggerated bow in spite._ **

** _"Person, you're talking crazy. I'm not a royal," Nines said as he scrambled to his feet, feeling that this was about to escalate._ **

** _The other man stood up too and took a step towards Nines. "So, Chapman or should I say _ ** _Arkait, _ ** _how does it feel to be a murderer?"_ **

Gavin could see that Nines was terrified in whatever he was dreaming - whatever it was, Gavin had to get him out of it now.

“Ni, baby, come on. It’s me, Gavin.” Biting back on a yelp, Gavin forced himself to turn and hissed at how it pulled on his stab wound. He was going to pay for that. What it did do was allow him to get on to his side and have both hands in reaching distance of Nines. “Ni! Ni, wake up!” he said louder, while shaking Nines harder. 

He didn’t know what would be safe to use to try and wake Nines up, the last thing he wanted was to try a pinch or something like it, and have the nightmare follow Nines out if Gavin used something that reminded him too much of it.

“Ni!”

_ **Nines took a step back, looking around to see if anyone else was overhearing what was transpiring. "A murderer? I'm not a murderer. A soldier, yes, but not a murderer."** _

_ **"Not denying the prince claim anymore, hmm?" ** _ ** _Person spat with venom._ **

_ **"I didn't kill any of my family. It wasn't me," Nines argued.** _

_ **Person shook his head as his hand went towards his back, "I don't believe you. Why else would a prince be hiding in a trench?"** _

_ **"I'm not hiding. I'm fighting in the war just like you." Nines' voice had risen in pitch. "Whatever you're thinking of doing you shouldn't. Person, we're friends."** _

** _The other man snorted as he pulled out his service pistol. "No, I’m fighting for my country: a county that you helped to try and destroy. How could you have done something like that to your own family?"_ **

_ **"I didn't. It was Prince Leo!" Nines was pleading at this point. Person was one of the only service men that he couldn't beat in hand-to-hand, Nines' pistol and sword were lying past the other man's form and he was currently staring at a gun. "I-I was stabbed! I would have never hurt my family. I'm not even ruling. Why would I kill my family just to run away?!"** _

_ **"Seems like a good reason to me, considering, His Majesty, King Connor survived the attack."** _

_ **Nines winced and the words hurt. There was no way out of this, he'd spelled his own death with this game he was playing. "I'm glad he did."** _

_ **"Me too." Person then aimed his gun. "Long live the king."** _

** _The sound of the gun being fired was deafening._ **

Nines woke up with a scream.

“Ni!” Gavin gasped as he reached out for him. “Ni, it’s okay, you’re safe! You’re home.”

The prince blindly shoved away whatever was touching him away; his chest was in excruciating pain and he gasped out at the pain. He ripped his shirt and popped a few buttons off as he tried to check on his bullet wound. He knew he needed to stem the bleeding.

Nines froze as he noticed there was only a scar that burned like fire, no blood and no gunshot wound. He blinked as he tried to process what was happening. The pain was slowly fading and it didn't make any fucking sense. _He had just been shot._

Spying what Nines’ hands had frantically reached for, Gavin suddenly understood the nightmare and kept his distance. As much as he wanted to hold Nines again, it had to be on his terms. After waiting about half a minute for Nines’ thoughts to slow a little and for him to realise where he was, Gavin spoke up softly again. “Baby?”

The gently plea broke through the fog: Nines knew that voice. "Gavin?" he barely whispered.

“Yes, it’s me,” Gavin said softly while finally reaching out a hand towards Nines. “You’re not there anymore, you’re back home. With me.”

Tears started pouring down Nines' face as he gently took Gavin's hand in his own. _ "Fuck," _ he said simply as he leaned his head foward onto their joined hands. "God, I don't... I can't. _ Fuck." _

Gavin swallowed down on the pain in his abdomen as he shuffled weakly so that he could press his own head down onto Nines’. “You’re safe, Ni. Whatever you saw, it’s done, you’re not stuck there again,” he soothed while pressing gentle kisses to Nines’ hair.

Nines took a few more calming breaths as he forced the ringing in his ears to die down. Once that had dampened, he reached out and caressed Gavin's cheek. The warm contact caused the last of the memory to finally fade and Nines hiccuped trying to calm himself down. "I'm sorry, Gav. I haven't had a night terror like that in so long."

“You don’t need to apologise, baby, you saw what my night terrors are like, and I have them frequently,” Gavin said while twisting to kiss Nines’ hand, still on his cheek. “If you ever want to talk about them, I’m willing to listen,” he added. “They probably won’t be worse than mine.”

The prince smiled and looked up. "We're both haunted by memories in our sleep. We really do have a lot in common," he tried to tease, keeping his tone light.

Gavin snorted in mirthless laughter and leant in for a soft kiss. "I thought my heart was going to pound out of my chest, you sounded so scared, Ni..." He reached out and ran a hand over the scar, trying not to make Nines jump with the gentle action.

Nines softly placed his hand over Gavin's and gave it a squeeze. "I guess I've never told you how I got this scar, huh? God, I was so fucking scared then."

“I’m terrified to ask,” Gavin replied honestly, “even more so after seeing that reaction.” Gavin’s hand turned the opposite way so that he could hold Nines’, but it didn’t do much to conceal the slight tremor. It was all reminding him of his own night terrors too much - and he knew the ones that would come reliving the most recent events would probably be chilling.

The prince noticed that Gavin was shaking and he decided to climb in the bed so that he could pull his fiancé gently into his arms. "We don't have to talk about it," Nines offered.

“I’m willing to listen if you feel it’s a story worth sharing. I know that letting them out helps,” Gavin sighed while snuggling into Nines, selfishly taking the comfort even when it was Nines that was the one who had just emerged from a nightmare, “but it’s your choice.”

Nines sighed and held him tight as he let the truth out. "I lied when I said no one that I was in the army with figured out who I was."

Gavin went rigid and held on to Nines tightly. “Fuck, what happened? Well, I can guess but-Shit, did they try and expose you?” he asked worriedly.

"No, he tried to kill me," Nines said resignedly.

That caused Gavin to bury himself into Nines’ arms more. “What happened after that?” he whispered. “Your friends still don’t know who you are, so I can only guess he thought he’d- He thought he'd succeeded?" His tongue refused to get his original question out, but he managed to twist it enough to get the point across.

Nines swallowed guiltily. "I wish it was that innocent. I...I shot him after he shot me."

Absorbing that, Gavin sought Nines’ hand out again and held it tightly. “Fight or flight, the most basic of human instincts. You couldn’t run, so you fought for your life. There’s nothing wrong with that, Ni,” he assured softly.

The prince softened and placed a soft kiss on Gavin's lips. "You think so highly of me," he sighed as he placed his forehead on Gavin's. "I panicked and I was terrified, but that didn't make what I did right."

“Maybe, maybe not. Depends who you ask - but the critical point is that you don’t forget the burden of that life, Ni. It would have been a whole different situation had you not cared,” Gavin told him steadily.

Nines caressed Gavin's cheek while getting his thoughts out. "It just proved to me that my people hate me. I was pretty much still a kid, I'd barely been on the front for a year and the first thing someone did when they find out who I was? Try to kill me." He let out a sad laugh. "What a life I've dragged you into."

Gavin pulled Nines’ face towards him and kissed him lovingly. “It’s still a million times better than the life you know I’ve come from. I’d take this a thousand times over: regardless of the fact I’d be free here, I’m with you. I want that more than anything.”

“Besides, you’re not dragging me into anything. I said yes, remember?” Gavin reminded with a smile before kissing Nines again.

The prince returned the kiss with everything he had. "You make me so happy. I can't even put it into words." Another kiss. "I'm so happy you chose to stay with me. Let's start over, focus on healing and growing together? Have a life filled with love, peace, and painting?"

“That sounds beyond perfect,” Gavin sighed while leaning towards Nines. “I have no idea how things ended up like this, but I’m so grateful that we’ve survived it to the other side.” He then paused before taking a deep breath, letting the sentiment settle. “So, what now? Can we just stay like this for good?”

Nines buried his face into the crook of Gavin's neck and kissed the skin there, pulling back a little only to speak. "We will stay together for good. Where that takes us? I haven't a clue yet," he declared before going back to nuzzling Gavin's neck.

Gavin smiled at the soft attention and basked in it. He’d never felt so peaceful and he hoped it would last for a very long time to come yet. Elijah was gone, he was free...and he was about to be married to Nines. Gavin didn’t know how his life had taken this crazy turn, but he’d never stop being thankful for it. "What would you like the future to hold, my love?" Nines asked after a few moments of comfortable silence.

“I haven’t even thought about it, Nines. I’ve never had a future before,” Gavin laughed. “I could maybe actually try and have a hobby of some sort, maybe see what I’m good at?” He beamed as something occurred to him. “Maybe I could learn swordplay from you? I wouldn’t use it, but I’ve always wanted to learn it.”

Nines nodded. "I could absolutely teach you how to sword fight. Hell, I could show you how to shoot a gun or anything else soldier related. Fun stuff, when you’re not defending your life with it." He felt himself smile as he thought about the chandelier from his fight with Elijah. "Ever thrown a grenade?"

“Nope, but I’ve wanted to,” Gavin smiled. “You’d really teach me?” He gasped as he got a little too enthusiastic and moved too sharply. “Once I’m not left with a massive hole in my stomach, of course. Doubt I’d be much good right now,” he snorted in disdain at himself.

"Yeah, fighting with a hole in your stomach is not fun," Nines mused then chuckled. "Hey, at least you're not trying to reset an entire kingdom after the fall of a monarchy."

Gavin sobered up a little and sighed. “Yeah, I guess I don’t have to see the fallout of that. I just hope that my friends get out of there before it all falls apart...” he mused.

Nines let out a small laugh at the statement. "Sometimes I forget you’re not from here."

“Is that a good thing?” Gavin asked with a nervous smile. After all these years of fighting a war between their countries, Gavin had to wonder if Nines could so easily love someone not from his homeland.

"Neutral, really? It's just that I forgot you won't know the nitty gritty of the history here." He sighed while thinking back. "I was talking about when I got stabbed in the stomach from when my parents died. So I know what you're going through to some degree."

“Well, not quite to the same earth shattering degree, Ni. That was your family, you had to deal with so many complex emotions from everything that happened,” Gavin said sagely. “I’ve just got to get my head around the fact that I’ve got a future to think about and plan now, I’ve never had that. Being a slave, completely on your own with no family and the only tie I had in the world was being owned by someone... It’s just a bit of a daunting thought,” he finished with a little chuckle, closing his eyes as the realisation of the freedom he now had sank in a little more.

The prince yawned, getting sleepy again. He slowly moved so that they were laying down together. "I mean, it's not as daunting as the fact we have to figure out what to do with the fact that Elijah's throne is yours," he let slip, mind completely skipping over the fact that Gavin didn't **know **about his lineage yet as he tried to drift back into exhausted slumber. Not even the nightmare could stop him from going back to sleep right now.

Gavin blinked, convinced he’d completely misheard Nines, and simply enjoyed lying down next to him. “Mmhmm,” he agreed noncommittally, figuring it was probably an appropriate response for whatever Nines had actually said. Nines started running a soothing hand through Gavin's hair as they made themselves comfortable. They settled in the bed well, even if it was a tight fit.

Only a few moments of silence passed before Nines felt the urge to fill it in. He hummed a few notes before he opened his mouth and lilted a soft shanty.

** _As down the glen one Easter morn_ **

** _To a city fair rode I_ **

** _There armed lines of marching men_ **

** _In squadrons passed me by_ **

** _No fife did hum, no battle drum_ **

** _Did sound its dred tattoo_ **

** _But the Angelus bells o'er the Liffey's swell_ **

** _Rang out through the foggy dew_ **

The tune was calming and he fell asleep before he even started the second verse.

Smiling, Gavin settled in and just absorbed being so peaceful with Nines. He’d never had moments like these before, so he loved having the time to just think and enjoy something so innocent. He fell asleep again not long after.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Stu: The shanty Nines sings is an old irish ballad.
> 
> [Here's](https://youtu.be/28Bq_2soGIA) a version by the Young Dubliners.


	31. The Secret Heir

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ** Skye: Hello, we're back!**
> 
> **So sorry for this chapter being late - Stu and I have been hard at work on our pieces for the Reed900 Reverse Big Bang, of which the fics are starting to show up on AO3! We'll both be posting during the course of the event, so if anyone wants to check out the collection, please do so [here](https://archiveofourown.org/collections/Reed900ReverseBigBang)!**
> 
> **There are some incredible collaborations in there already and there are a lot more to come. We should have almost 70 fics by the time the event is finished, and we know teams will be posting all the way to January! Please show everyone involved some support, they have all worked so hard.**
> 
> **This chapter's long overdue...time for some truths to come to light.**
> 
> **Enjoy!**

The next morning saw Connor scrambling around the castle. Things weren't the best at the moment with how many people were condensed in the medical wing. He was almost certain that rumours were already spreading, but he just had to deal with the blows as they came like he always did. Honestly, he was lighter than he'd been in a while. His future was a mix of many different things at the moment. 

And right now? He had a supposed future brother-in-law to meet.

Connor pushed open the door to Gavin's room, and he couldn't help the soft smile that graced his lips as he noticed the pair were both asleep on the small hospital bed. He closed the door behind him gently with a click. 

Gavin blinked awake at the sound and went rigid when he saw Connor there. He swallowed hard as he reluctantly shuffled away from Nines, guessing that Connor wouldn’t appreciate seeing them together like that.  “Ni,” he shook gently, not wanting to startle Nines but needing him awake. “Ni, we’ve got company.”

"Uh, wait. Don't wake him up yet," Connor said quickly, feeling awkward. "I was hoping I could just talk to you for a few moments."

That made Gavin’s heart turn to ice but he nodded, mildly terrified. Why would Connor want to speak with him?  “Of course, Your Majesty,” he replied tentatively while doing as he always used to do with Elijah, looking down and not meeting Connor’s eye. “How can I be of assistance?”

Connor raised an eyebrow, but didn't say anything for a moment as he took a seat next to the bed.  He looked at Gavin and noticed the slight look of sheer terror in his body language. He decided he was going to start this easy, hoping to allow Gavin to relax. "So, how did you and Nines meet?"

Gavin wasn't too surprised by the question but kept his posture tight and eyes down. "I was looking at a painting, and the Prince approached me out of the blue. He asked what I thought of it, and he asked me a few more questions before we parted ways.  I then met him again in the palace gardens, where he was sketching. We talked a little more there, and that was where I got to know Ni- I mean, the Prince," he corrected, hoping that Connor didn't call him out on slip.

The king waited a moment for that to process. Nines had only told him things in bursts, but very few of the details with all the chaos.  "Nines approached you? Odd," Connor said simply. "What made you keep seeing him?"

"The Prince helped to patch me up at the pond in the gardens after Elijah decided to use me to vent a little." Gavin slid his sleeve up to let Connor see the open stitches on his arm. "I ran after he offered me to try sketching. He looked so hurt that I left him a note the next day apologising for my actions, explaining them and to promise not to get in his way anymore." His eyes glazed slightly in remembering the rest of how they had met.

"I noticed him at the pond again the next night, and I wanted to get a little closer to see what he was drawing." A blush came to Gavin's face as he recalled it. "The Prince heard me, and we then talked a little more. He even offered me the painting once it was done. After that we talked about how our stations meant that we were both treated not as people, but more as objects..."

Gavin snapped his mouth shut as he realised he was rambling. "That was kind of what made us bond."

Connor couldn't help but stare at the man in front of him. Scars and injuries covered much of his visible skin; he looked like he'd never known something good to him. He then  chewed his lip and let out a small laugh. "So, that's why Nines refused to let me see the letter he received. Cheeky." Connor smiled and let a little bit of his harsh King exterior fall away. "You really love him, don't you?"

A small nod was Gavin's answer. "I do - and I don't know how or why, but he seems to love me too. Otherwise I've no idea why Ni would have been crazy enough to challenge Elijah. He's so dangerous, he's seen all of what Elijah has done to me..."

Gavin's hand reached up tentatively at the scars on the side of his neck and he couldn't forget the vicious stab on his back. "He's the only noble I've ever not feared, one of the very few people who didn't treat me like a scourge who had outlived their usefulness. Being a Nameless and descendant of traitors in my kingdom, you couldn't comprehend what that entails. I'm an object to be toyed with: no rights, liberty, identity...  Ni made me feel like any other person, and I can't ever do enough to repay him for that," Gavin finished in a whisper, looking down at Nines lovingly.

Nines, as if on cue, rolled over and snuggled against Gavin again. 

Connor smiled at his brother and then looked up at Gavin. "I'm guessing you know that Nines is an interesting man. He's shy but fiercely loyal. Sweet and kind, but has the ability to kill. Put those together and you get a man willing to kill for those he loves."

"Yeah, I've heard a lot and seen snippets of it. Ni's....he's someone special who has suffered a lot. I just want him to have an easy life after everything I've unintentionally caused, he didn't deserve to endure all of this," Gavin said while resting a hand on Nines' own. 

"Maybe you guys deserve each other after everything that has happened to both of you," Connor smiled.

Gavin finally turned to look at Connor. "How is your guard? Hank, right? Ni and Rose told me about what happened."

The young king appreciated the concern but he brushed it off for the moment. That wasn't a conversation for now. "Hank is recovering well, thank you."

Blushing a little at Connor's tone, Gavin turned his attention back to Nines. "I know I'm probably nothing like you expected for someone who he's with, and I'm well aware that you probably don't trust me after everything that happened, but I swear to you I'll never intentionally hurt him.  I love Ni, and I'll do everything I can to make sure that he has a measure of peace in his life, despite not having a thing to my name. Maybe it's the one worthwhile thing I can do," Gavin declared defiantly.

"I like your dedication," Connor nodded. "I believe you."

Connor then stood up and pulled out a schedule. "You begin training with Lady Amanda in three weeks. You should be healed enough by then to start the lessons on how to run a kingdom, you'll need them."

While surprised at being thrown into such a task, considering that he had no knowledge whatsoever on anything to do with ruling a kingdom, Gavin accepted the schedule and announcement with a nod.  “Thank you, King Connor. I’m surprised, but I’ll do my utmost to learn well,” he said determinedly.

"I expect nothing less," Connor replied with a bright smile, "and don't worry. It'll come naturally."

Gavin gave him a hesitant smile, but in all honesty he was relieved at how it had all gone. Connor has accepted him a lot easier than he expected.  “Is there anything else you wished to talk with me about, or will I be all right to shake Ni awake?” he wondered a little nervously. Hopefully that was it.

"Don't wake him yet." Connor reached for the notebook that Rose had given him in the hallway. "There is one last thing." He pulled the book out and handed it to Gavin carefully. "You need to read the pages in this that are marked for you. Please be wary of what you find."

Taking the book, Gavin realised what it was rapidly. Elijah’s journal. His mind swam with possibilities of what could lie within and he wasn’t sure if he truly wanted to get inside Elijah’s thought processes behind all he’d done.  “I’ll be perfectly honest, Your Majesty, but I know well what sort of man Elijah is. I’m not sure how reading his journal could tell me anything about why he did all that he has done - I’m not sure I want to get inside that man’s head to know how he justifies what he does,” Gavin added with a gulp and a small shudder.

Connor sighed. " Humour me and do it anyway?"

Still wary, Gavin suppressed a sigh and opened the journal up to the first of the marked pages, not sure what to expect.  As he got to the bottom of the page, however, he began to pale. By the time Gavin had learned about Elijah’s role in the ruining of his childhood and the death of his mother, he threw the book away and shook his head in despair, knotting his fingers in his hair.

“No. _No no no, _**_no, no, no!_** It’s a lie, it _has_ to be! That-That-_He couldn’t have destroyed my life like that, I can’t be his fucking relative! _**_No!”_** Gavin screamed.

_ "Gavin?" _ Nines shot awake and scrambled to see what had just happened, finding his fiancé distraught.  "Gavin? What's wrong? What happened?" He reached out towards him slowly and then he noticed his surprised brother. Nines ignored him for a moment in favour of Gavin.

The other man was completely lost in his own head and breathing hard, unable to process what he’d just read. It couldn’t be possible, he refused to acknowledge that Elijah was his brother - his only surviving family at that.  He buried his face into his hands and screamed again.  Connor flinched at the sudden noise and felt horrible for not expecting this adverse of a reaction.

Nines put his hands over Gavin's and started running soothing circles there. "Babe? Gavin? You're okay. I got you," he cooed softly.  He was completely at a loss as to what was happening but he assumed it had to do with Connor. 

_ What the fuck did he miss? _

Gavin’s scream tapered off into a half-howl, half-sob and he shook as he recalled so much of what had happened over the years with Elijah. The beatings,  _ torture _ even, the degradation...Elijah all but killing him several times over.  He had no possible way or hope of understanding.  Nines cooed a few more calming words but Gavin wasn't responding. So, he left the calming touch, but turned his attention to his brother.

_ "What did you do?" _ Nines asked, accusation leaking into his tone.

"I, uh, showed him the journal," Connor admitted.

Nines gaped for a moment before he turned back to Gavin. "Oh, god. I'm so sorry you had to find out this way. Gavin it's okay. I got you."

That caused Gavin to freeze and his eyes latched on to Nines hotly.  _ “You knew?”  _ he hissed out, suddenly wondering if there was anything else that had been hidden from him: and whether it was something of the same scale.

The prince flinched. "Yes, but I only just found out right after you went into your Red Ice induced coma," he replied honestly. "I hadn't found a chance to tell you yet and Rose had the journal last time I checked.  _ I'm so, so sorry." _

Gavin swallowed hard and stared at Nines warily. “Do you know if it’s true?” he asked darkly, a sudden thought coming to him. If he and Elijah were blood related, then Gavin had another problem he suddenly had to deal with.

Nines nodded solemnly. "He admitted to it during our duel."

Sad eyes flitted towards Connor for a second before Gavin looked back towards Nines, sorrow already laced through them.  “Then you know about the curse of the Kamski bloodline,” he whispered before snorting darkly. “Figures that even if I’m free in one sense, I can’t ever truly escape another fate.”

"You mean that son of a bitch wasn't lying?" Nines gasped.

"No, it's true. I've seen how much of a fucking mess he gets on days where it strikes him badly. Elijah's already outlived most of his bloodline, many of them die before they hit 35, some have lasted as long as 43. All depends on when they first started showing symptoms of the disease, really," Gavin sighed.  "I've been given medication for years by the castle physician - after one really brutal beating years ago, I was victim to a fever for days. After it, they said my immune system was too compromised and I needed the serum to not be left vulnerable to everyday diseases. Maybe I should have put the pieces together then..."

He swallowed hard and a lone tear fell. "I may not have more than a few years left in me, if that's the case," he finished, heartbroken.

Nines was stricken, he didn't even know where to begin to process that information. He suddenly felt helpless and useless. The younger brother glanced at Connor and jerked his head towards the door, silently asking his brother to let them alone for a few minutes.  Connor nodded and quickly made his way out of the room.

Once they were alone Nines spoke up again. "Gavin? You know I'm here for you no matter what, right?" he assured.

"Ni, you don't realise just how vicious this disease is," Gavin lamented, silent tears running down his cheeks at the realisation he didn't have that expansive a future after all. "In its final stages, it shuts everything down slowly. It's literally a wasting disease. Apparently some people have been bed bound for months before it finally kills them."  Another sad thought came to him and Gavin crumpled in on himself a little. "Chloe knows about who I really am, doesn't she? Then she's probably the only one in this kingdom who actually knows how long I've got left..." He then looked up at Nines again.

"I wouldn't blame you if you decided this was too much, you know. Being with someone who's dying slowly is..." Gavin tapered off there.

Nines took a deep breath, willing away his own emotional turmoil. "Gavin? I usurped a monarchy for you. I'm not letting something that you cannot control push me away. You're stuck with me, love. Everyday I have with you is heaven. We'll figure this out. Okay?" he promised lovingly.

Gavin sobbed and reached for Nines, needing to feel him close. Once in his prince's arms, Gavin broke down. "Fuck, I don't know how I can process this!" he cried, feeling utterly useless and helpless.

"Me neither, Gav," Nines whispered as he wrapped his own arms around his fiance. "I was so worried about you waking up and Elijah's crimes that I hadn't even considered anything beyond the political fall out of this news."

It was a few minutes before Gavin's tears slowed down enough for him to think again, and he then pulled back to look at Nines with horror-filled eyes. Another truth slammed into him right then and he couldn't help but feel terrified.  "Shit, it's me, isn't it? I'm Elijah's heir..."

Nines wiped at Gavin's tears and tried to smile, but it fell flat. "Yes, technically."

Gavin buried his face in his hands again. "Fuck...then what the hell do we do, Ni? I can't just ignore this!"

"We have a few options, actually," Nines said softly, "and ignoring it is a valid one."

"How? How can I possibly ignore this when I know that I could in theory stop my kingdom from descending into a bloody civil war?" Gavin asked him pointedly.  "If it's left without an heir and the Kamski line dies with Elijah, my homeland will be torn apart. If Elijah was anything, he's prepared to a fault. I doubt he'd have kept me alive without using me as some soft of failsafe if the worst should happen to him - he's known for a long time that he and Chloe can't have children."

Nines' composure finally cracked and he let out a sob. "I don't know Gavin. All I want is a life with you. If that means I have to become..." he suddenly stopped and looked at his lap. He never wanted to be a king, he could barely handle being a prince, but the very real fear of losing Gavin terrified him.  He and Gavin couldn't save a family line. They couldn't have an heir; and talking long term, Nines was almost certain to outlive Gavin. That left Nines to run a country that wasn't his birthplace by himself. What kind of sick joke was the universe playing in them?

Hearing Nines break reined in a little of Gavin's own panic and he looked at Nines apologetically. "I'm sorry, Ni, I'm so sorry," he sobbed, hugging Nines tightly. "I've just got so many thoughts racing through my head right now, I don't know what to do."  Gavin inhaled shakily and kissed Nines' neck. "What are we going to do?"

The prince chuckled wetly. "I wish I knew." He closed his eyes and leant into the comfort. "But baby, it's okay. It's all going to work out. We'll figure this out, I promise."

As Gavin nodded into Nines' neck, he realised something. "Ni, I haven't had the serum in days now. There's a stash of it in Elijah's rooms, that was how he gave it to me, but it was mixed in with his poisons I'm pretty sure. Do you think it's been destroyed, or would some of it still be there?"

Nines blinked and felt a shamed flush rush to his cheeks. "I'll have to go see." He figured it was unlikely after the explosive showdown he and Elijah had a few days prior.

"Yeah, I figured that would be a long shot," Gavin sighed. "I don't even know how I'd get a hold of more of it, the serum's a closely guarded secret in my homeland..."

"Hey, we’ll figure it out. I have the resources to get something done," Nines assured. "I'll take care of you, I promised that a long time ago."

Gavin looked at Nines seriously. “Ni, promise me that you won’t barter with Elijah for it. I know what he’s like, and I know how he gets in people’s heads. No matter what, you can’t go to him. Please,” Gavin begged.

Nines cupped Gavin's face. "No matter what I'm not letting you get sick," he smiled. "Have more faith in me than that. That's a promise I don't think I can make, Gav."

“Ni,  _ please...” _ Gavin took Nines’ hands and held them as tight as he could. “Don’t mess with him. He’s dangerous, and I don’t want you getting exposed to his mind games.”

"Then what do I do? I can't lose you, I already did it once and I can't do it again," Nines asked as he squeezed back.

"I don't know," Gavin whispered. "There might be more in that journal, but I- I can't read it, not knowing that all those fucking asshole's thoughts and plans are in there. Who could we trust to look?"

Nines swallowed as he thought about it. "I'll ask Rose, because I can't read that thing anymore either."  He then pulled back and smiled at Gavin. "How about we take a step back for a few and I run and grab us some breakfast?"

"Only if you promise me that you're only going to the kitchens and coming right back," Gavin challenged him. "I don't want to be away from you right now." He didn't trust Nines not to take the opportunity to slip away and try something stupid to get secrets of the serum from Elijah.

The prince stuck out his pinky. "Breakfast only. Pinky promise."

Gavin took it with his own pinky and gently pulled Nines close so that they could kiss. "Hurry back, Ni. I want to spend as much time as I can with my future husband," he added softly.

"Of course," Nines grinned and placed one more kiss on Gavin's lips. He then got up and collected the book and headed out the door, only walking a few more doors down so that he could kick open the door to Hank's room. 

"Connor Bryan Arkait the Eighth. I'm going to kick your ass!"

Connor jumped up and glared at Nines as he rushed to the door. "Okay, I deserve that but Hank doesn't! Can we at least take this somewhere where you're not going to inflict this on him too?" He then looked towards another empty room further down the wing.

Nines took a deep breath. "You're helping me make breakfast, you brat," he demanded as he pointed towards the hallway. Nines then smiled at Hank as a half apology. "Feel better soon." He then promptly walked back out the door.

Following close behind, Connor closed the door gently and then proceeded to shove Nines forward. "You're a fucking asshole when you're in a bratty mood, you know that?" he snapped as they walked on.

The prince stopped and turned around, proceeding to point right in Connor's face.  _ "A brat? _ You woke me up to you giving Gavin a goddamned panic attack," he snipped as he rubbed at his eyes. "The journal Connor?  _ Really?" _

"Honestly, it was because I didn't think Gavin would believe it any other way," Connor explained. "How do you word something like that, Nines? And I didn't go in just to do that, I wanted to get to know him a little first.  For the record, he seems like a good man: I think he's a good match for you," he offered as a half apology.

Nines pulled at his hair in frustration. "You weren't supposed to say anything like that. I was supposed to ease him into the information. Fuck, Con. I mean, I'm glad you like him, but that was a terrible first impression."

Connor flushed a little. "You're not the only one who can be awkward, you know!" he argued. "And I'm still frazzled after nearly watching Hank die in front of me, let alone absorbing everything else that's happened. Excuse me if I'm not in the clearest frame of mind to think right now!"

"You could have waited. You could have let him have at least one day of recovery without making him worried that he's gonna die anyway," Nines stated as he swallowed back the nerves. "Connor, I think things have been difficult and I'm just as scared as you are about Hank, but also that Gavin's not gonna make it through this. I've already had him 'die' in my arms once. I'm terrified that it'll happen again." Nines felt his hands shake a bit at the thought.

"We'll find a way to fix him," Connor assured Nines. "No matter what it takes, we'll find a way to get him that serum. This isn't over yet; a nd honestly, I forgot about the fact that Gavin would have the same disease as Elijah. It completely slipped my mind. If I'd realised, I would have waited," he lamented.

Nines sighed in regret. "I really thought Elijah was lying about that, but now that I know he's not I'm so fucking lost. I know we'll do something but what if we're not fast enough?" 

"He's not showing any symptoms yet, so it can't be that aggressive," Connor consoled him. 

The prince shook his head to clear that thought. "There's really no point of wasting time on the 'what ifs'. Let's just make Hank and Gavin something to eat."

"You're right, we can worry about it after we've made them some food. Can't be anything too heavy with their injuries, so what are you thinking?" Connor asked in an attempt to liven things up.

"I was going to make some toast and eggs. Something nutritious and light," Nines chuckled, "Want me to make us some pancakes? It's been a rough week."

Connor smiled slightly. “That sounds great, actually. A slice of normality after everything that has happened.”  He looked at Nines seriously as they walked. “In all honesty, how are you feeling? I feel like we’ve barely spoken in I don’t know how long.”

Nines chuckled lightly. "Yeah, you're right, but honestly, I don't make that very easy for us to meet up anyway." He stopped and pulled open the door to the kitchen. "I'm adjusting still to being back, I'm getting used to that routine "

A sad look flickered over Connor’s face. “Yes, you’ve never been one to be part of the castle life. I know you’d much rather not be here,” he added, a bit melancholy, before heading through to the pantry. In all honesty, hearing it had stung Connor a bit.

The younger man caught the look that crossed Connor's face. "Oh, don't make that face. We both know there's things that you hate about castle life as well."  He gestured towards a place that Connor could sit, given his brother was a terrible cook. "But I have my outlets. I'll stay here as long as I'm needed, you know that."

“Don’t bullshit me, Nines,” Connor told him softly. “I know you’re already contemplating leaving again.”

Nines jerked as he was reaching for a jar of flour. He flushed all the way up to his ears in embarrassment as he drew his hand to his chest. "I-I can't keep him safe here," was all he offered

Connor sighed. “I feel mildly offended that you believe our security to be so fragile, but I don’t entirely blame you after the events of this past week. But is that the sort of life Gavin would want? Have you asked him that?” he probed gently.

Nines thought about he and Gavin. All his love wanted was to be safe and free and for them to be together. He didn't answer that question, and bit back with his own barb instead. "You're one to talk. You've never really considered what Hank would want. Some things are just so far out of our control there's no point in even trying. I'll continue to stay here and you continue to do your delicate dance of half truths."

That caused Connor to see red and he stood with a venomous glare at Nines.  “How fucking dare you insinuate that I haven’t asked him. Unlike you, I don’t have a fucking choice to run away. You have no idea what we almost sacrificed while you were away playing soldier. Y ou know what, just do what you do best Nines and miss the bigger fucking picture. You’re good at that,” Connor spat before storming out.

The prince watched as his brother retreated. Only after he heard the door slam did he let out a sigh through his nose as he ran a hand down his face. 

"This is why no one likes you, Nines. You can't keep your fucking mouth shut. Or you never say anything at all."

He dejectedly put the start of the pancake mix down, instead pulling out a loaf of bread and some eggs to start on Gavin's breakfast. At least that much he could do right.


	32. Road To Healing

Gavin was sitting peacefully with his eyes shut in the bed when he got a knock on the door. Expecting it to be Nines, he was surprised when it turned out to be Rose. “Hello, Gavin,” she smiled warmly from around the frame. “How do you feel this morning?”

“Not quite so much of a pin cushion,” he chuckled. “It’s nice to see you, Rose.”

“And you, but I’m actually here because someone wanted to meet you, if that’s all right? He has something he wishes to say to you.” Much to Gavin’s surprise, Rose then stepped aside to help in, a very unsteady, Hank.

Hank tried to smile as he wandered through, he'd been hoping to beat Connor and Nines back from the kitchen. "Hello, you must be Gavin. I'm Hank. I like to talk to you for a few, if you don't mind."

Gavin swallowed and felt the urge to hide a little, he really didn’t know how to react to most of the people in the castle and this was no different. “Umm, sure. Not as if I can run anywhere, is it?” he joked as Rose helped Hank sit down in the chair next to the bed.

The older man let out a soft chuckle. "I'm sure if you really wanted to you could get out," he said as he shook his head. "I'm here to apologise."

That had Gavin bewildered. “Apologise, what for?” A short knock came at the door and Rose answered it, quickly making an exit when she saw who it was to leave the two men in the room.

"Captain Allen told me of your distress, along with King Elijah's plots and I didn't believe him. My inaction caused an unnecessary amount of extra hurt," Hank explained, "and I apologise for that. I failed you and Nines."

Gavin looked at Hank seriously. “You shouldn’t feel the need to apologise for that - who would believe me to be innocent over a king? Hank, whatever pain you fear you may have caused me, I can assure you that is not the case. Elijah’s been doing this to me for years, I’ve lived with it for a long time. You don’t need to apologise because there’s nothing to forgive,” Gavin ended with a tentative smile.

Hank nodded in thought. "I can agree to some degree; but regardless of blame and believable stories, I didn't listen to Fletcher and a lot of people got hurt as a result. You, Nines, Fletcher, myself, and almost Connor. I was wrong and my apology for that still stands."

“Well, I can assure you that there is no predicting someone like Elijah. He’s something else,” Gavin sighed. "You almost got yourself killed trying to protect King Connor, so I think that is penance enough for any crime you perceive you may have committed,” Gavin smiled at Hank.

"That sounds fair to me," Hank said with a small air of humor. He then turned to Gavin seriously. "Also, thank you for what you've done for Nines. He needs someone to love him."

"He's done a million times more for me than I have for him," Gavin said softly. "Without him, I'm sure I'd be dead right now - either from defying Elijah or getting caught spying as he wanted. I just hope I can help him find peace with himself." Rose came back inside with hard eyes, but kept to herself. She was fizzing from what she had just learned.

"Well, you guys will surely even out the score. Nines has a few bad habits and pissing people off and jumping out windows happen to be two," Hank chuckled. "You'll more than likely save his life at least once before it's over." Rose just about managed to keep to herself that Nines had added another two people to his ‘pissed of' list.

“I hear he’s already tried vaulting out a few windows,” Gavin joked. "I appreciate you coming to see me, Hank. And I’m glad you are recovering,” Gavin added with a smile.

Hank gingerly put his hand over the hidden bandages. "Me too. Speaking of recovery, I should make my way back to my room before either Connor or the medical staff figure out that I'm missing." He tried to stand up and when he couldn't quite manage he sent Rose a shy smile. "Rose, would you be a dear and help me up?"

Rose gave him a gentle smile in reply. “Of course, Hank. I’m not so cruel as to leave you stranded.” As she helped him to his feet and guided him to the door, she whispered to him. “Connor’s gone to the old wing, he was almost in tears. He can tell you the rest. Fletcher is ready to take you over if you want to join him.”

Hank blinked, a little stunned at the news. "I'm taking a wild guess it has something to do with Nines," he sighed and rubbed at his eyes. "I'll go see him, let Fletcher know."

“Of course, I’ll just take you back to the room, he’s waiting there,” Rose assured him softly. “Don’t worry, I’ll give the Prince hell when he comes back.” She then flashed a tender smile at Gavin. “I’ll be back in a little bit, dear. Give me a few minutes.” 

“See you soon, Rose,” Gavin nodded before going back to his quiet contemplation. That wasn’t what he expected, but it had been a nice distraction for a while. He had so many thoughts going around that Gavin really didn’t know what to do with them.

* * *

Nines plated his and Gavin's plate of toast and eggs and silently started back to Gavin's room. He had been quietly berating himself for the rude thing he had said to Connor the whole time he had been cooking and on the way back to Gavin's room - God, he could be a real ass sometimes. At the knock on the door, Gavin smiled when he saw Nines come in. “Hey, baby,” he greeted softly. “That food smells utterly amazing.”

The prince smiled at his love. "I hope it tastes good too. It's nothing too fancy, just scrambled eggs on toast. Shouldn't be too heavy on your stomach." He walked into the room and handed Gavin a plate, then took a seat with his own next to the bed. "Speaking of which, how are you feeling?"

“Not too bad: still aware of the stab wound, but it’s not the forefront of my thoughts. I feel grimy and sticky though, I wish I could wash down somehow,” Gavin sighed before tucking into the food. “This is awesome, Ni. Thank you.”

Nines blushed at the praise, "I'm glad you like it," he swallowed a bite before he commented on the rest, "and we could very well likely get you cleaned up, if you wish. You can take a whore's bath."

“I’m sorry, a _ what _now?” Gavin scowled. “I didn’t think I was that desperate for you that I merit being called that.” Despite his best efforts to hold a straight face, Gavin couldn’t and burst out into giggles. “Dammit, couldn’t hold it.”

The prince stared at Gavin for a good few moments before it clicked that he had no idea what he was talking about. "I wasn't calling you a whore, you goose," he snickered. "It's slang for a bath in a bucket with a cloth and the like."

“I was hoping you weren’t calling me a whore!” Gavin laughed before sighing softly. “This isn’t the first time I’ve been left so crippled that I need someone else’s help, you’ve done it for me so often already, but that doesn’t make the shame any easier...”

Nines made a face as his eyes fell. "I mean, if you would rather, I can ask a nurse to do it." He poked at this breakfast, not quite sure what else to do with the awkwardness.

Gavin recognised that face and reached a hand out. “Ni, if you want to help me, then that would be ideal for me: but I know you’ve probably got things to be doing. I...if I’m going to be vulnerable with anyone, I’d rather it was you.”

At hearing Gavin's tone, Nines looked up and shook his head, "Oh, it's not that. I'll gladly help you." He then looked away again. "I'm just not in a terribly chatty mood. Sorry."

“What’s wrong?” Gavin asked - and right on cue, Rose returned.

She took one look at Nines and then grabbed him by the ear. “You. We need a talk, right now.” Nines flushed in embarrassment, but he didn't fight her on the matter as she dragged him out for the room. He shot Gavin an apologetic look before he was completely out of the room. Rose dragged Nines to one of the other private rooms and let his ear go as she locked the door, before turning to him with a deep scowl as she crossed her arms. "What the hell is wrong with you? Of all people to accuse of being selfish and unconscientious, you say to your brother?” she snapped.

Nines crossed his arms and went steel faced. "I just wanted to make pancakes."

Her glare darkened in response. “Do not be a brat with me. Explain yourself.”

The prince knew that look and did not want to die, or upset his mum further. He sighed, caving instantly. "He gave Gavin the journal this morning."

“And that gives you a reason to be a complete fuck to him because...?” she growled.

Hands went to Nines' hair. _"_**I don't know, Mum!**_" _his voice cracked. "I'm a mess, **okay?** I'm stressed out. I'm in pain. I'm trying to be strong for Gavin, but I'm so fucking scared. And I guess I'm mad at Connor because I tried to tell him what was going on before everything went completely tits up, but he didn't even listen and basically called me a whore! Then this morning after he caused Gavin to have a fucking panic attack, I was going to make him breakfast - pancakes, you know his favourite - and he started his 'I know your planning on leaving again' speech. I just couldn't take it!" He poured everything out and by the time he was done, he was breathing heavy and barely holding back tears. 

Rose wanted to go over and hug Nines, but she needed him to realise that what he’d said earlier was completely out of line. “Okay, so you’re both idiots,” she sighed. “But I don’t think you realise just how deeply you hurt Connor earlier.” She then thought of something. “Did your brother ever tell you about how he almost married Lady North of Jericho?”

_ "_He **what**?_" _ Nines gasped.

That answered that question. Rose deflated a little at the realisation. “You know that Connor struck a peace deal with Jericho while you were back in the war. As part of that, he offered to marry North,” she went on. Nines' mind was running a million miles a minute as he tried to piece together the information Rose was giving him. When the deals were being done with Jericho he was on the northern border with the navy at Warren's kingdom. The info on a possible marriage must have gotten lost at sea.

“It never became public knowledge since it ended up not becoming part of the final peace deal, but it looked all but certain for a long time,” she sighed. “North was here for over a month as they got to know each other. She’s a feisty woman, you would have liked her,” Rose chuckled.

Nines didn't process the information quite the way he wanted to. Several questions swirled around in his mind, but one stuck out, "Why didn't they get married?"

Rose smiled sadly. “She realised Connor was miserable, and eventually twigged that he and Hank were together. After learning that, she talked to Connor and he told her everything. They may have been friends by that point, but North wouldn’t marry him.” She hesitated before going on. “Connor admitted to her that he wanted an heir to take the pressure off you. If he had a child, you wouldn’t be obliged to stay anymore: he knows that you want to be free of the castle and royal life. North respected his dedication to his family and to peace, and she lobbied Jericho to agree to a deal without the marriage. It took some time, but it paid off,” she said slowly, letting Nines absorb it all - and to realise just how much his words earlier would have hurt Connor.

Nines swallowed and found a chair to sit in. His head fell into his hands. He'd already felt like an ass from this morning, but now he just felt down right horrendous. Connor didn't deserve that. God, he couldn't process the fact Connor was willing to give up his one shred of happiness he'd carved out of his life for **Nines'** sake. He hated himself for that all over again. 

He let out a shaky breath. "Do you ever wonder what life here would have been like if I was never born? Because I sure do," he sighed as he ran a hand through his hair. "The queen wouldn't have been so angry. Leo would have never become my friend. Cecil, the King and Queen would still be alive. There wouldn't have been a war. Con would have married Hank and Cecil would be next in line well after that. Just like the way things were supposed to be."

Rolling her eyes Rose knelt down next to him and ruffled his hair affectionately. “Now you’re just being dramatic,” she said fondly. “And I personally prefer having you here, as much as you are a pain in the ass when you want to be. There’s no point settling on the ‘what if’s; and if there is any one argument that proves just what good you do here, think about Gavin. If it weren’t for you, Gavin would still be that monster’s slave, and there’s a very good chance that Elijah would have killed your brother or him,” she pointed out.

“Regardless of everything else that has happened, you’ve saved so many lives in this past week. Don’t belittle that with idling on how much poorer our lives would be without you here,” Rose finished softly, putting a hand on Nines’.

Nines didn't respond. Instead he simply squeezed Rose's hand. He wanted to argue back that if there wasn't a war, Elijah wouldn't have made it over to the castle to hurt either Connor. There would be no reason. As for Gavin, he likely wouldn't have been born either.

But Rose was right on one aspect: no reason to dwell on the 'what ifs'. "Sorry, Mum," was all he managed.

“I’m not the one you really need to apologise to,” she told him softly, “but I’d wait until later before you approach Connor. I don’t think he’d be very receptive right now." She kissed his cheek. “I’m sure your future husband is wondering if I’ve castrated you or not. Look after him and try to unwind. Maybe not piss anyone else off today?” she added teasingly.

"I'll do my best," Nines replied, "and right now I don't think I could give a worthy apology. I'm a bit frazzled. "

“I’m not surprised, I can imagine Connor didn’t tell you because he didn’t want you getting overwhelmed. But you two need a long talk at some point.” She then stood and offered Nines a hand. “Come on, let’s make sure Gavin hasn’t got himself into trouble.”

"I think we should too." Nines stood up and let Rose lead the way. He hoped he wasn't going to worry Gavin, because if he kind of wasn't in a talking mood earlier, he sure as hell wasn't now.

Gavin had finished his breakfast by the time they reappeared, but he instantly picked up on how subdued Nines was. Looking between them in concern, Gavin spoke up softly. “Is everything okay?”

"Everything's alright," Nines said as he sent Gavin a reassuring smile. He walked over and took his place in the chair. He looked at his own breakfast he didn't get to finish and sighed. Cold eggs were not good for eating. He frowned at the fact that if he kept his rude mouth closed, he'd have eaten pancakes with Connor. 

**Fuck**, was he terrible at this shit.

Rose smiled at Gavin in sympathy, knowing that he was worried. “We just talked about a few things that needed to be settled.” She then looked at the plate and got an idea. “I’ll be back in a little while, boys. See you soon.”

As Rose left, Gavin reached out for Nines. “Ni, what is it? And please don’t tell me it’s nothing, you look devastated about something,” he asked worriedly.

Nines happily took Gavin's hand in his own. "Sorry to worry you, love. It's just that the couple days have finally caught up to me and I'm processing."

“Anything I can help with?” Gavin held Nines’ hand tightly, very obviously concerned at how defeated Nines sounded.

"Just being here with you is a dream. I'll cheer up, don't you worry about it too much." Nines moved the chair closer to the bed and laid his head in Gavin’s lap, aching for some comfort. Gavin ran his fingers through Nines’ hair, hoping that it would relax him even a little. As much as he wanted to ask what was wrong, it was obvious that Nines wasn’t wanting to talk about it.

Another knock came on the door fifteen minutes later and Rose reappeared with another plate of food for Nines. “Since I stole the Prince away from his first meal, I asked Luther to whip up his favourite. Hopefully this might cheer him up a little.”

Nines side eyed the plate of biscuits and gravy and then sat up. "I can be bought," he said simply as he took the dish and smiled at Rose. "Thank you."

Rose gave him a soft smile and pressed a hand lightly to his shoulder. “I’m going to check in with Fletcher and see what is happening around the castle, and I’ll ask the doctors to come look at your wound, Gavin. Hopefully it should be healing nicely.”

“Thank you, Rose, see you soon,” Gavin said back to her as the woman vanished again. When she’d left, Gavin let Nines eat in peace. Nines ate his food in a very unprincely way, which is to say he shovelled it down like he was a soldier again. He loved biscuits and gravy.

He let out a content sigh as he added to the small stack of dishes once he was finished, then looked at Gavin and let out a soft, embarrassed chuckle. "I forgot myself. I don't get to eat that very often."

“Do you think I’m ever going to judge you, Ni?” Gavin smiled at him. “It’s nice to see a little more of you as ‘Niles’ rather than Nines. There’s nothing wrong with acting that way around me, I don’t give a shit.”

Nines shook his head and then went and laid his head back in Gavin lap, acting like an overgrown house cat. "I'm glad you can deal with me. I love you so very much."

“I love you too, baby,” Gavin whispered back to him, “and I love all these little things about you. They’re all fascinating to discover and learn. You’re such an interesting person, unlike me,” he chuckled. “Hey, I guess this means you’ll get to finish the painting now, at least,” Gavin realised with a smile.

Nines looked up through his lashes. "I actually think it's going to stay that way. Artistically, I think the painting would have more meaning to stay that not quite finished it's at right now."

“Huh? How come?” Gavin asked while tilting his head at Nines in confusion.

The prince shrugged. "I don’t have an exact reason, but it wouldn't feel right to finish it after everything that's happened. If I want to finish a portrait of you, I'll start a new one." He hummed in thought. "Even though I hate painting myself, I want to be in a painting with you."

“I’d really like that,” Gavin told him earnestly. “Could I maybe ask that you don’t paint in all of the scars though? I might be okay with them someday, but right now...” Gavin’s hand reached up to the still healing ones on his neck and he was aware of the stretch from where he’d been stabbed by the broken glass in his shoulder. Elijah had certainly left his mark, and Gavin hated it. Hated him, even more now that he knew the truth.

Nines nodded in agreement. "I can do that. Sorry if I went too detailed on the other one. I just think they look nice, even if they aren't that by nature."

“They don’t put you off?” Gavin wondered, unable to understand how Nines could find them even vaguely appealing.

"Of course not," Nines chuckled. "Skin is a canvas, it starts out completely blank. Then over time the life we see gets painted on our skin. Be it good or bad, or things we put there ourselves. Scars are just reminders of life one has lived, despite it all."

“Maybe, but not all scars come from the same circumstances that mine do,” Gavin sighed. “I could completely understand if they just reminded you of...a lot,” he went on vaguely, “not much of it good.”

Nines hummed and sat up. He pulled up his shirt to show the mess of bandages. He gave Gavin a few seconds to look before he covered himself back up. "Look on the bright side, by the end of this we'll both have scars from him. So, if you don't hate mine I can't possibly hate yours."

“I guess so,” Gavin realised with a small smile before bringing Nines’ hand up to kiss it gently. “Thank you, Ni. You keep reminding me that I might actually be worth something now, rather than just being a punching bag to be ordered around.”

The prince caressed Gavin's face lovingly. "I'll never change my mind, so every time you start to feel worthless, I'll talk some sense into you. You wonderful soul."

“I don’t know about that, but I try my best,” Gavin blushed while kissing Nines’ palm. “I love you, Ni, so much that it almost scares me. I don’t want to ever be apart from you.”

"Same to you, darling," Nines mused as he continued to rub at Gavin's scruff, which was getting long he noted. "I never thought I would ever find love and here you are, the most perfect person I've ever met and you're all mine. Sometimes I don't know what to do with that."

The red on Gavin’s cheeks darkened and he looked at Nines, flustered. “Flatterer,” he stammered out. “I’m hardly perfect, I just try hard.”

"Then that's enough. Perfect is subjective, so if I say you're perfect then you are." Nines put his other hand over his heart. "I, Richard Arkait the Ninth, with the power vested by the throne of the Arkait family declare Gavin to be perfect."

Gavin burst out laughing and pulled Nines close enough to kiss him lovingly. “Wow, that was cheesy as hell, babe, but I officially love it.” Inwardly, Gavin was relieved that the silliness seemed to be perking up Nines’ mood.

Nines returned the kiss with a smile. He couldn't be upset around Gavin. It just didn't seem possible. "I'm a horrible sap as it turns out, but only for you," Nines declared as he slid up on the bed and placed gentle kisses over all he could reach of Gavin's face.

A few giggles escaped Gavin as the kisses softly tickled, and he smiled brightly at Nines. “So, about that bath?” he asked. “Are you still willing to help me out with that?”

"As always, anything for you," Nines cooed as he stood up and gently scooped Gavin into his arms to start towards the bathroom.

* * *

It was an awkward, yet loving experience. Though Nines knew Gavin was healing, it was hard to believe with all the cuts, scrapes, and dark bruises littering his entire body. Though Nines wasn't a medical doctor he had enough battlefield training to know that kisses made things heal faster. Which got several giggles and gasps out of Gavin.

Gavin enjoyed the experience, even if he still felt guilty about Nines having to continue helping him. What little pride he had was quickly evaporating though as Gavin realised that Nines **wanted** to care for him. That made things easier to accept.

Still, Gavin was all too aware that he had a ways to go. Not that it would stop him from trying to move around and get his strength back quicker - old habits die hard, as they say.

"Stop stressing," Nines teased as he scooped Gavin to take him back to his bed. "How could you tell?" Gavin asked quietly as he curled into Nines as best he could. 

Nines laid him down gently and kissed him, then climbed onto the bed and snuggled up. The taller man ran a hand along the uninjured part of Gavin's abdomen as he went on. "You hold your tension in your stomach. It's making you shake just a little bit."

Gavin sighed in defeat and let out as much tension as he could. "Sorry, baby. I've never really had the opportunity to ever just sit and recover, so I keep feeling like I need to do something. Might take me awhile to learn how to sit still," he chuckled darkly.

"It's okay," Nines cooed and started running a soothing hand up and down Gavin's side. "Look on the bright side: once you get better from this you can go as crazy as you want. I'm also quite terrible at sitting still."

“Heh, that I can believe from your track record of vaulting out of windows,” Gavin snickered. “So, think you can show me how to have a lazy day? I’ve never had the luxury of one before.”

Nines purred as he buried his face into the crook of Gavin's neck, pulling the smaller man flush against himself. "Absolutely, but I've never had a lazy day with a love before. So, this could be a first for both of us," he chuckled as he nibbled at Gavin's neck.

"First lesson, snuggles."


	33. Momentary Bliss

The next few days saw the two be left mostly to themselves as they both recovered. Gavin’s track record with injuries meant that he was knowledgeable in how to get back on his feet quickly.  With some gentle wheedling, Gavin had managed to get a hold of some extra wrappings, gauze and thin, but sturdy, leather straps.  “This ought to do the trick,” Gavin smiled as he shuffled over to the edge of the bed, eager to get strapped up and be able to attempt walking again.

Nines was hovering a little nearby. "This oddly reminds me of my time as a soldier and I'm not sure if I like that or not. Like, I know what you're doing and that's what makes me the most nervous."  He chewed at his lip as he watched Gavin move. "Are you sure about this? We could just hang around for just a few more days. Give you a bit more time to heal?"

Gavin gave Nines a small smile in reply. “Sorry Ni, I’m going a little bit stir crazy. If I just have the freedom of being able to walk under my own steam again, I’ll be happy. Having the option will help if nothing else.  Don’t worry, I won’t push it,” he added as he started wrapping one of the leather strips over the bandages. “And I want to spend more time with you here - I just don’t want to feel chained to the bed, if that makes sense?”

Nines let out a breath. "Yeah, it does. Sorry, I just worry about you that's all."

“I’ve been in plenty of messes from wounds before, this is nothing compared to when Elijah made me his party piece for a banquet. That took months to heal,” Gavin replied plainly before looking at Nines with a grateful smile.

The prince looked at what Gavin's hands were doing and his own twitched with the urge to help. "Do you need any help, Gav?"

“Yeah, could you maybe get the one on my back steady? I can't really twist that well between my shoulder and my stomach,” the smaller man asked warmly.

"Of course," Nines replied as he put his hands on the leather and adjusted it. "Like this?"

“Yeah, perfect.” Gavin then placed the other piece on his stomach and started wrapping more bandages around his abdomen to keep them in place.  He turned to Nines with a small smile. “Actually, do you want to do this bit?” he offered, knowing by now that Nines wanted to help.

Nines nodded and took the roll and quickly got to work. "Let me know if I do something off." He wasn't too worried about it, but he was going to say something anyway.  A few more minutes and the wrap was complete. "How's that feeling?"

Tentatively, Gavin stretched a little more than he had been previously and beamed. The leather wasn't too restrictive sandwiched between the layers of bandages, though it would probably get hot over time. It was a small price to pay, however. “It feels great. Let’s give standing a try.”  He slowly pushed himself up off the mattress and inched his way upright, still a little wobbly. “Not too bad! I’ll get my balance back once I adapt to the support, but I can move again,” he chimed happily.

Gavin blushed as he turned and then asked Nines what he’d been wanting for days now. “Can we maybe go to the gardens? I fancy just sitting there.”

Nines had several conflicted emotions. He knew Gavin needed more time to heal, but he also knew that they were both sick of the medical wing. In the end he  smiled and kissed Gavin's forehead. "Can I bring my paints?"

“Please do, I’d love to watch you paint,” Gavin smiled back. “What are you thinking about doing this time?”

The prince shrugged. "Don't know yet. Something with a lot of bright colours, I just know that I just need to paint  _ anything  _ at this point "

Gavin nodded at him. “Shall we head to your study then, or maybe ask Rose to take some stuff over? I dunno how far I’ll be walking honestly, and that might overdo it.”

Nines made a face. "I'd prefer to get things myself. I still don't like people messing with my painting station. I have a system." He then looked towards the door. "Let me run and get those, and I'll be back in a minute for us to walk to the garden together?"

“Sure, I’ll just practice getting my balance. See you soon,” Gavin smiled as he watched Nines leave. 

The prince made quick work of a trip to his study.  It was almost weird to push open the door and see the room as he last left it. The record was still in the phonograph, the sheet on the floor next to the painting of Gavin, and the curtains still drawn. It wasn't even a week ago, but that last dance in the study felt like a lifetime ago.

He shook his head and went to his desk to gather up what he wanted. A satchel was thrown over his shoulder and a small blank canvas tucked under one arm.  Then he was headed back to the medical wing.  When Nines returned, Gavin was a bit more balanced even if a little tired. “Hey, baby. I had a crazy thought: want to make this into a picnic?” he suggested with a blush.

Nines perked up at the suggestion. "Absolutely," he declared happily. "I'll have a basket brought out to us. Are you sure you're ready to walk all the way by yourself? I could carry you."  He offered a hand for Gavin to hold, knowing he needs to take his fussing down a notch or three.

“I’ll give it a damn good shot anyway,” Gavin said while taking Nines’ hand. “I know you can, but I want to try walking: I need to feel like I’m making headway. You can save carrying me for if I need it or you want to spoil me,” he finished shyly.

"Okay, okay," Nines mused, "I can be your knight in shining armour and sweep you off your feet later." 

They then started making slow headway towards the garden.  Gavin was finding walking difficult over the distance, but he was doing his best not to let anything on - years of bad habits. As they finally reached the garden, he wobbled a little and leaned into Nines.  “Okay, that took a lot out of me...” he admitted sheepishly.

"I can see that, but we made it here," Nines cooed as he gently pulled Gavin into a kiss. "Let's get comfortable." He lead Gavin to a shady tree, the one they had their first kiss under, and they sat down beneath it. 

Humming in relief as he was off his feet again, Gavin closed his eyes and enjoyed the sounds and feeling around him.  “Never thought I’d miss something like just sitting in the sunshine when I’ve been staring at it for a couple of days,” he chuckled softly. “Something so simple and is so soothing.”

Nines settled next to Gavin under the tree. "This is nice," he said in a happy hum as he snuggled closer and started pulling out his paints. "What do you think I should draw?"

“Something that’ll make you smile,” Gavin told him with a small one of his own. “Something that you’ll look at and grin, that it can brighten your mood when you feel low.  I have no idea what that would be for you, but I know you need something like that in your life,” he added with a relaxed sigh.

The prince looked at the canvas and then put it down. He turned bodily towards Gavin and gathered his face in his hands. "Guess, I don't need to paint anything when I have you." Nines then pulled Gavin into a loving kiss.

Gavin's cheeks flushed at the comment, even though he was beaming as Nines kissed him. "You're so fucking cheesy sometimes. Please don't ever change," he laughed as they parted.  "Come on, I want to watch you paint. See the magic come to life," Gavin urged softly, nudging Nines to pick up the canvas again.

Nines took the hint with a soft giggle. "Are you sure we can't just make out under the tree? Much more interesting than painting."  He then finally grabbed a pencil and put a few strokes of an outline, despite his words.

“We can make out all you want when I’m cooped up in bed again, right now I’d much rather see you bring something incredible into existence,” Gavin breathed out, already enraptured in what Nines was doing.  “Seriously, babe, how can you draw like this? Do you just see something in your head and put it on the page?”

"That's not something I can explain," Nines mused as he continued a rough sketch.  "You just do it. Then do it again. And again, and again." He then shook his head in resignation. "Oh, and you cry and scream a lot; throw a canvas or two out a window. Let's not forget swearing to never paint again at least a dozen times. And voila the recipe to being a good painter."

Gavin laughed lightly at the response and leant up against the tree again, the most peaceful that he had ever felt. Despite the many wounds still healing on their bodies and the uncertainty of what lay ahead for them, this snapshot of peace was something Gavin hoped would happen a lot more in their future.  He closed his eyes again and just absorbed everything, occasionally opening them to keep an eye on Nines’ progress as time went on. It was almost more fun this way, because it left Gavin guessing where his prince was headed next.

Nines finally put the pencil down and pulled out a palette with a few brushes. He put a few globs of paint and got the work putting the colours on the outline.  The drawing of a valley with a field of flowers slowly came to life. Somewhere tranquil and colourful, but still vibrant in style.  "Wouldn't this be a nice place to visit?"

Eyes softening, Gavin stared at the page with a sense of peacefulness. "I wonder if such a place exists. If it did, I'd love to see it," he said softly.

"Me too," Nines mused as he continued to paint. Then after a while Nines decided to start adding a small cottage on the top of the hill, but before he could get any further, there was the sound of someone approaching.

Luther had a kind smile on his face as he walked over with a picnic basket. "Afternoon, Your Highnesses," he said with a warm tone as he sat down the basket. "I brought you both a nice lunch. I hope you enjoy."

Nines beamed in reply. "Thank you so much, Luther." It also seemed the news of their engagement had started to spread.

"You're welcome," Luther smiled. "Also, Rose asked me to tell you two to be in before dark. She will not be having you getting ill with all your other injuries."

The prince laughed softly. "I must be a child again."

"Did you ever stop?" Luther challenged gently.

Gavin laughed too and surprised himself with how at comfort he was with the news spreading around. He'd been worried about how everyone would react to Nines being engaged to a foreigner, but everyone had taken it in stride so far.  "Thanks, Luther. I doubt I'll be out too long anyway, I'm still not in any real state of fitness yet. I'll try and make sure Ni doesn't encourage us to misbehave."

Nines left out an offended gasp at Gavin's insinuation. "Why does everyone expect me to act a fool all the time?"  After Luther and Gavin shot him matching looks, he laughed. "You know what, that's fair. I guess," he shrugged. "But yes, I'll make sure that we're inside before it gets dark."

"Good," Luther nodded. "Have a good meal, Your Highnesses." Then with a tiny bow he started back towards the castle.

Nines sat his palette, brush and canvas down and turned towards Gavin. "Ready for lunch?"

"Yeah, I'm starving. Who would have thought just walking would be so exhausting?" he joked while looking over at the basket. "Smells amazing though. I've never had as much rich food as we do now, so I swear I'm still getting used to it."

"I get that," Nines laughed. "A few days after I got back to the castle once I stopped being a soldier, we hosted a small feast. I ended up losing my stomach by the second course. It was a rough couple of weeks getting used to eating something besides fucking beans and tack," he shuddered.

“What’s in the basket would have probably been my whole meals for a day before, so this is unreal for me,” Gavin said while opening the basket and revelling in the smell of roasted chicken.  “I should be ashamed of how much my mouth is watering, but I really can’t bring myself to care that much.”

Nines scooted closer to Gavin. "Dig in, then."

The pair of them dove into the food provided with gusto, Nines more so than Gavin, but that was mostly down to the fact that Gavin was still getting used to eating more of the richer foods. That and he couldn’t eat too much with a stomach still healing from a near fatal stab wound.

Once they’d finished, Gavin leant back into the tree with a contented groan. “Fuck, how are you all not fat with cooking as good as that? I have a bad feeling about my waistline,” he joked with a smile.

Nines laughed as he quickly cleaned up and leaned against the tree next to Gavin. "I ask myself the same question sometimes." He playfully poked at Gavin's uninjured side. "Don't worry about that, I'll keep you in shape."

“Through just training me with a sword...? Or can we include bedroom activities in that too?” he teased, enjoying the blush on Nines’ cheeks in response. Not that his was much better.

"I mean... Yes? Clearly," Nines stammered through a flush. "We can do both kinds of sword training."

Gavin laughed loudly and buried his face into Nines’ neck. “Sorry, sorry. I just wanted to make light of the fact that we’re both too injured for anything like that right now. Helps me to cope, making things into something that I can poke fun at,” he explained.  “Was kind of how I coped with most things...” he finished a little more melancholically.

Nines wrapped his arms around Gavin and pulled him close, "I understand, but yeah, coping sometimes can be a pain in the ass. For the record I love your jokes, terrible or not." He paused for a second before changing tactic. "Wanna try out painting?"

That had Gavin curious and he nodded. “Yeah, but I wouldn’t want to do it on top of anything you’ve already made or started, I’ll just ruin it. Do you have your sketchbook or something else that I can try on?”

A mischievous look overtook Nines' face. "I almost always have a sketchbook with me." He reached over and grabbed said book out of his bag along with a pencil, then offered them to Gavin. "Maybe try doing some sketching first. Or you can use paint first, doesn't matter. There's not a wrong way to create art."

“Oh no, I’m not wasting your paints on my useless ass, I think I’ll just go with the pencil first. Ummm...”  Gavin looked at Nines sheepishly. “I have no fucking idea what to draw,” he admitted shyly.

Nines shrugged. "You can draw a line and call it art if you're ready to argue about it for a week."

“Yeah, but I actually want to draw something that I would consider more along the spectrum of art, not someone being lazy,” Gavin scowled, before looking further along the edge of the gardens.  “Okay, I’ve got an idea,” he said while focusing on a collection of roses in the corner. Hopefully having a reference point would help.

The prince hummed and decided to keep his avant garde ideas about art to himself. "Do you want me to watch or continue on my own piece?"

“I don’t mind either way, baby. I’m used to eyes on me all the time, so this is no different,” Gavin said completely blasé, already focused on the lines forming on his page.  “If you can deal with my shitty-ass drawing then feel free to watch, and I ain’t going to be offended if you decided to go back to your painting,” he said with a quick smile before going back to his own project.

Nines grabbed his own canvas and palette to make it look like he was working, but he was very much watching Gavin sketch away at the book and seeing the rough shape of flowers taking form. It made him smile with pride. They’d been sitting there for another fifteen minutes or so when they heard a familiar voice.

“So this is where you two snuck off to. Gavin, dear, should you really be moving so much with your injuries?”

Gavin looked up at the mildly scolding tone from Rose and blushed a little. “Do you really think Ni would have let me stay out here if he thought I couldn’t handle it?” he responded teasingly, to which Rose smiled in reply.

“A very fair point.” Her eyes were tight though, despite the teasing. She was tense.

"Don't tell Gavin, but I fully intend on carrying him back." Nines joked, but when he didn't get the normal reaction he frowned. "You okay?"

Rose sighed before answering. “The King is preparing procedures on how to sentence Elijah,” she told them, not missing how Gavin tensed. “It will probably take another week at least to get organised, but...”  She turned to Gavin. “He thought you might want the chance to speak to him first.” Gavin’s eyes hardened in response and he looked down to the ground, fist clenching.  In all honesty, he had no idea what he wanted to do about Elijah. He’d been conveniently avoiding the subject.

Nines' eyes went wide, but he didn't let his emotions show much past that. "That's definitely something. How soon does Connor want an answer?"  He wanted to give Gavin time to think on that, because that idea of Gavin seeing Elijah again wasn't something that had occurred to him.

“He’s not looking for one right now, but he’s hoping for one by tonight. There’s a...very narrow window where something can happen, and if it’s to be that way, then it had to occur tonight,” Rose said cryptically.

Gavin looked up at Rose seriously. “And what might that thing be, Rose?”

“Connor made me swear to silence, I’m afraid, but he’ll tell you himself whenever you wish to see him,” she added regretfully, but she could see where Connor was coming from. It was something that the less people were involved, the better.

Nines blinked and then frowned at the secrecy. "Okay, well, that's comforting...I guess."  He looked towards Gavin and back towards their picnic. It looked like the calm before the storm was ending, because he just felt the temperature drop.  He put a steady hand on Gavin's shoulder and sent him a reassuring smile.

Staring at the remains of their little moment of peace, Gavin sighed. “Can you give us a little while longer, Rose? Maybe meet you back at the medical wing?” he asked softly, needing to talk to Nines.

“Of course, take all the time you need, dears. I’ll see you both soon.” Rose then left with a last smile, to which Gavin started shaking in both anger and lingering fear on the spot.

“I don’t know what to do, Ni,” he confessed bitingly. “I’d happily never see the fucker again, but I know he could give me so many answers...What the hell do I do?”

Nines chewed his lip as he thought of what to say. "Well, I have a feeling he's going to be seeing a hangman's cable before too much longer. Maybe you should get those answers and closure before you don't have a chance to?" he suggested calmly. It was the most rational answer, but part of him never wanted either of them to see that fucking monster again.

Gavin sat in silence for a few moments before he turned away to glare at a rock not far from them.  "Is it bad that I don't know if I want to kill him or not?" he asked tightly.

"No," Nines said quickly. "After what he did to you. Not in the slightest."

Surprised at the speed of the response, Gavin turned back to Nines with shadowed eyes. "Does it not make me as bad as him that I want revenge?"

Nines shook his head resolutely. "All I know is that it would make me as bad as him as well, because revenge is a thing I joined a war over." He shrugged as he continued. "I think you should be asking yourself, 'am I comfortable with my revenge based decision' or are you afraid you'll live to regret it?"

Gavin mused on that and sat back in thought, staring up at the sky. “Guess I need to decide what kind of person I am then. Funny, this is a question I’ve never had to debate before since I didn’t really have an identity. Now though..."  He sighed and reached out for Nines’ hand. “I’m gonna be a prince soon, I need to decide just what that entails for me.”

"Technically, you're already a prince," Nines responded factually. "But yes, this is an important choice about how you want to treat that role."  He leaned in and gave Gavin a comforting kiss on the forehead. "Whatever you decide I'll support you."

It took another half an hour of thinking before Gavin finally got his thoughts in order, and when he was ready he faced Nines with a shy smile.  “Can you help me up so that we can head back to the medical wing?” he asked softly.

"Absolutely," Nines smiled with a nod, "What do you want me to do?"

“Pull me up to my feet? I can stagger back,” Gavin requested while holding a hand out.

Nines nodded and slowly helped Gavin to his feet. "Are you sure you don't want me to carry you? You know that's not a problem."

Gavin smiled at his fiancé. “I might need you to do that sooner rather than later, but I’m good for now. I don’t want to be held by this for any longer than I have to.”  His stubbornness only lasted to the edge of the garden before Gavin gasped hard and almost fell to his knees. “Okay, I think I hit my limit...”

"You did well." Nines said and quickly reshuffled the bag. He went over and scooped Gavin up in his arms gently for the journey back.  Before long they were finally back in their room in the medical wing.

Rose was waiting for them when they returned, and she looked at them knowingly as they came in.  “Did Gavin push himself too far?” she asked softly, knowing the answer from how he coloured in embarrassment.

Nines shook his head. "Almost, but we were good, Mum," he smiled as he went over and gently laid Gavin down.  He put the bags down next and joined Rose in sitting on the roll away mattress that had been added to the room. "So?"

“I told the Connor of your request: he told me to reassure you that there is no rush to do this so soon in the day, Gavin,” Rose reminded him softly, to which Gavin shook his head.

“No, I’ve already decided what I want to do,” Gavin sighed from where he was staring at the ground and then looked at Rose seriously. “I’m going to talk with Elijah. Where is Connor?”

Surprised but proud of Gavin’s courage, Rose smiled a little broader. “He’s in the stronghold rooms, Prince Nines knows the way. If you need to wait until you’re stronger though, we can do so.” Gavin shook his head again.

“I can make it; let’s get this done,” the smaller man decided.

Nines swallowed his nerves and stood up. "Well," he offered Gavin an arm, "I do know the way and I agree let's get this out of the way."

Rose nodded and stood with them. “I’ve got a few things I need to do, but I’ll catch you both up. By the time I’m done, I’m sure you’ll be finished talking with Connor. See you both soon.”

As Gavin and Nines headed out and started their journey, Gavin leant against him more. “How far is it to these rooms?”

"It's a bit of a trek. Our stronghold is hidden towards the centre of the castle. Let me carry you so, you can walk into Elijah's cell by yourself without looking, well, exhausted," Nines suggested.

“Yeah, that might be for the best,” Gavin relented, stopping long enough so that Nines could pick him up.  “Sorry, I hate to put you out like this,” he muttered in defeat.

Nines shook his head with a soft smile. "Gavin, I love you. So very much. There are very few things you could ever ask me that would put me out, and this is definitely not one of those things," he stated as the headed towards the stronghold.

While they progressed through the castle, Gavin tensed a little as he realised where they were going. “Nines, are we heading where...?”

Nines also tensed as he realized where they were. "No, but we are heading to that wing of the castle." Neither of them were likely to forget the spot where Gavin and almost bled to death in Nines' arms after stabbing himself, it was something that would probably caused them both distress for a while.

The smaller man stayed quiet in Nines’ arms as they finally reached the right door, to which Gavin sat up.  “Can you let me down? I can walk inside.” He didn’t want to appear so fragile while meeting Connor.

"That was the plan," Nines grinned as he put Gavin down. He then grabbed his smaller lover's face and peppered it with a handful of kisses. "I love you. You can do this."

Gavin smiled at the affection and grabbed Nines for one last kiss before they headed inside. His heart was hammering at seeing Connor and Hank inside, and he noticed Allen off to the side as well.  Allen gave Gavin and Nines a tight smile as Connor looked their way - well, more specifically at Gavin. Connor hadn’t forgiven Nines for his comments before and was refusing to be anything other than civil with his brother until he felt less hurt.  “I’m glad you two have come,” he greeted softly. “Please, sit.”

Nines felt a tinge of hurt at Connor actively ignoring him but he shook it off.  He took a seat and waited, not having my to say at the moment anyway.  Gavin sat gingerly and looked at Connor seriously. “So, you wanted to know if I want to speak to Elijah?” When Connor nodded, Gavin sighed. “I do, but I have no fucking idea if I can control myself around him or not. I’m not sure if it’s the best idea.”

Hank shared a look with Connor. “Well, er, turns out we called something wrong. Someone back in your homeland must know how you and Elijah are related, because a messenger arrived with a letter asking if you’d enacted ‘_**Premature Succession**_’ or not.”

When Gavin froze on the spot, Connor looked back to him. “So you do know what it is, I wasn’t sure. Hank and I had to dig through a lot of the library to find anything about it, and what little we could was vague,” the young king stated. Nines blinked in surprise, he was on the same page as Connor and Hank. He only had a vague idea of what that meant. He looked at Gavin and waited for him to explain.

“Yeah, I know what it is...” Gavin murmured while clenching his fists again and  kept his eyes down as he explained. “It’s one of the official rites of succession in Cybera. You all know by now that there’s a disease which runs through...my bloodline.” He still was getting his head around the fact that he shared that same accursed blood.  “That’s the most common form of death for the kings of my country, but the second most common is by a blood relative of the King challenging him for the throne. If the King doesn’t have an heir, and is deemed unfit to rule, the relative can challenge them to a fight to the death. Succeed, and the throne is theirs without argument from any other noble house or other member of the family.

He then looked over to Nines. “All you need as proof of a finished Succession is the amulet which our King wears. Show that as a blood relative, and the throne is yours.”  A cynical chuckle escaped Gavin. “This is probably exactly why he kept me where he did: always in sight so that he knew I couldn’t challenge him, but he wouldn’t kill me until he had an heir. Guess I’m lucky that Chloe can’t have kids...”

"As gruesome as that is, it's relatively clever, as much as I am loathe to admit it," Nines commented. "What does that mean for you, Gavin? Have any idea who could know about you?" The only person he could think of was Chloe.

“I haven’t the slightest idea, but if that letter got out then someone knows...and I’ve not a clue what to do about it!” Gavin shouted, to which Connor jumped in.

“This arrived today, but I don’t think I can stall a return messenger beyond first light tomorrow. So this is my question to you, Gavin...” Connor started, waiting for Gavin to look at him before he went on.  “Do you want Elijah dead by your own hand? If so, I will not stop you - but it means that his throne falls to you.”  His look softened at seeing Gavin pale. “If you decide not to, I will simply return word that Elijah is in our custody awaiting execution. This is entirely your choice.”

Nines put a comforting hand on Gavin's back, trying to silently let him know he had his full support on whatever decision he made.

After almost a full minute of thinking, Gavin turned towards Connor again. “I think I need to speak to Elijah before I decide anything. I...I need some answers,” he breathed out. 

Connor nodded at him. “Then that’s what we’ll do. We can leave whenever you are ready.”

“I’ll be coming with,” Allen added from the side. “Since Hank is still out of action, I’ll be looking after you. Hope you don’t mind the intrusion, but we can’t be too careful with Elijah.”

Nines nodded towards Allen in agreement. "That sounds good."  He swallowed around his nerves as he turned to his fiancé. "Gav? I'm good either way. If you would rather I stay here I can, or I can go with you."

Gavin reached out and took Nines’ hand. “I want you there. Come with, please? I’ll need you for support.”

The prince's expression softened. "Of course, love. Anything for you." He gave Gavin's hand a reassuringly squeeze.

With that settled, Gavin turned back to Connor. “Can we head across now? I want this done.”  Connor nodded and stood, but Gavin looked at Nines in trepidation. “I can’t walk great anyway, but it feels like my legs have gone to jelly.”

Nines nodded. "I can imagine. Just take a few deep breaths and then we can get this over with."

Taking a few moments, Gavin then held a hand out. “Okay, I’m ready. Shall we?”  Nines took the hand and smiled. 

"We shall, let's go," h e then turned to Allen. "Lead the way Fletcher, please."

Allen nodded once Hank and Connor had said a quiet farewell, but it didn’t take long for Gavin to get exhausted and lean into Nines.  “Fuck, the world’s spinning a bit...” Gavin panted, already pushing himself too far.

"Want me to carry you until we get to the door?" Nines said in a worried tone. He didn't want Gavin straight up faint while talking to Elijah, that would not be a good result.

“Yeah, it’s probably a good idea,” Gavin bit out while taking a few deep breaths. “I need to save what I’ve got left for Elijah.”

"You can say that again." Nines didn't hesitate to gently pick up Gavin. "Okay," he soothed while gathering Gavin into his arms.  Allen smiled from the side.

They advanced to the tower where Elijah was being held, and they paused long enough to let Nines set Gavin down. When he was back on his feet, Gavin took more deep breaths to steady his shaking.  Feeling so many eyes on him, he nodded. “Okay, I’m ready.”  Nines placed a gentle kiss on Gavin lips for good luck. 

He turned to Allen and gave the guard the nod to open the door.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next time, we finally get Gavin and Elijah's showdown 😎


	34. The Cursed Throne

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> **Skye: Time for some sibling drama, and the showdown between Gavin and Elijah that you've all been waiting for!**

As the door opened, Gavin's expression hardened when his eyes fell upon the figure in the corner of the jail cell. Still carrying an air of superiority despite his imprisonment, Elijah was sitting up against one of the walls with a decidedly bored look on his face.  The stained number of bandages and wrappings told Gavin that he was weak though. Weak and crippled, just like him.  Elijah turned to look at his new company and raised an eyebrow before smirking. “Well, well. I didn’t think I would ever see you again, Gavin. Strange times indeed.”

“You could say that again,” Gavin growled as he walked in, keeping each step slow but strong as he walked towards the cell, even if on the inside he was cowering a little.  Nines stayed back but in easy reach for if Gavin needed him. He straightened up, holding himself with a regal posture even if he had to swallow back his own bitter reply to the imprisoned king. The prince got a dark sense of satisfaction from seeing how poorly the king was doing.

As Gavin closed in on the cell door, Elijah made it look effortless to get back to his feet despite the multitude of wounds across his body. Still, Gavin knew him better after having spent literal years around him: Elijah was all about image. No matter how much he might be hurting, he’d never show it.  Elijah came to the other side of the door and smiled knowingly. “You know. You know our true connection,” he taunted.

Swallowing back on bile, Gavin glared at Elijah hatefully. “Yeah, I fucking know...and I just can’t understand how. How the hell, after everything you did to me, can we possibly share blood? How are we brothers?” he wondered in disgust.

“I often wondered that question too. ‘How’, indeed,” Elijah replied idly, smiling over at Nines for a second. Even now, this was still a game to him.  Nines raised his lip in a silent snarl, gauging Elijah for a reaction. The king was most likely fully aware that the prince would not hesitate if he tried something, but Nines was fully trusting that Gavin could handle this himself.

Now that he was staring Elijah down, there was only one thought on Gavin’s mind. One question that needed an answer beyond everything else - the rest he could find out later from another source, but this had to come from Elijah himself.  “Why her?” Gavin spat out, willing himself not to get emotional in front of the fallen king. “Why did my mother have to be the innocent party that you ruthlessly sacrificed to keep me under your control? She did nothing wrong!”

“She broke her word and kept your bastard life intact. If she was willing to defy a King for you, there was no telling what else she could have done when she inevitably decided that she wanted more. Greed is human nature, after all,” Elijah replied to him coldly. 

“Besides, she was a traitor.  She got all she deserved after going behind my mother’s back. There was only one thing that a betrayal of that level merited - I would have happily made her suffer longer,” he then snarled lowly, enjoying how Gavin’s eyes flashed.  Nines' own eyes widened at the cruelty of Elijah's words. Honestly, it shouldn't have surprised him, but sometimes he was a bit too sympathetic. He hated that this was what Gavin was faced with for family.

Enraged, Gavin stepped back. “Get him out of that damn cell and on his knees,” he demanded.  When Gavin gave the command, Nines turned to Allen to nod his approval and the pair moved to get Elijah out of his cell. 

As soon as the door was open, Nines charged and landed a hard punch into where Elijah's crude stitches were. The impact caused the King's knees to buckle just enough that a well timed tug on his hair from Allen sent him to the floor.  With Elijah lying prone and panting, Gavin looked to Allen’s sword. Needing no prompting, Allen pulled it free and offered the handle for Gavin.

Connor watched impassively from the sidelines as he saw Gavin take the blade and Allen crouched behind Elijah, holding the downed king’s hands so that he couldn’t fight back.  Gavin’s hand clenched around the pommel as he raised the sword for a swing, glaring down at Elijah again; who simply laughed. 

“It seems my fears about you were well founded in the end: even if this isn’t quite how I expected it to go. Go ahead, Gavin, strike me down! You know what sort of viper’s pit you are inheriting with it. Are you really prepared to destroy your life for revenge, and for the blood that will be on your hands with it?” the king taunted.  Nines watched in silent horror for a moment before he actually looked away. Not because of the gore, but because he didn't want to see Gavin bloody his hands. He just hoped Gavin understood how bitter of a dish revenge could be.

Dead still, Gavin held the sword aloft for a good ten seconds before he finally made his choice and swung as hard as he could.

Rather than kill Elijah, he simply sliced a deep gouge across the king’s cheek, which bled profusely. Elijah was stunned and looked back at Gavin in shock, even as the younger man punched him in the spot he’d just struck and sent Elijah to the ground.

“We may share blood, but that’s all we share!” Gavin spat at him. “No matter how much I may despise and hate you, I would never think of taking your life - you were right in one thing about me if nothing else. I’m no killer, and like fuck do I want anywhere near that accursed throne.”  Spinning around, Gavin looked at Connor darkly. “Kill him however you want, I’m done. Just make sure it’s done right,” he declared softly before walking back out of the door.

He’d barely got two steps outside when he fell against the wall and collapsed to the ground, panting. It had taken everything he had not to crumble with his injuries in the room.

Nines turned back to the chaos and his eyes widened at the blood dripping from a nasty gash Elijah's face "Looks like you have to live with a mark on your face as well now," he sneered, and with that final comment he went to go find Gavin. Nines didn't have to go far, as Gavin had fallen right outside of the door. The prince sat down next to his love heavily. "Hey, Gavin? I'm proud of you."

Still dragging in shaky breaths, Gavin looked at Nines in confusion. “P-Proud? What...for?”  He was trembling a little, the enormity of having confronted Elijah finally catching up with him. It was all overwhelming.

"A lot of things, honestly." He opened his arms and offered Gavin a hug: Nines needed one as much as he guessed Gavin did. The other man didn't hesitate and shuffled over to nestle in Nines’ arms as he broke down a little, sobbing quietly.

“I should have done it. He deserved it,” Gavin muttered out.

Nines ran a hand up and down Gavin's back in reassurance. "Maybe, but let me tell you from personal experience that revenge is bitter. Sometimes it's better to leave things up to fate."

“Perhaps, but I still feel...hollow. I thought I’d learn something, and all I got was more hatred and resentment towards him. I just, I don’t know what to do...”  They were interrupted by the door opening again, with Connor and Allen appearing. Realising that the other two needed space, Connor led them further down the corridor so that they were out of hearing range as Gavin took a few more moments to refocus himself.

"I think we're okay for now, love. At least you have full choice to do with that 'I don't know'," Nines assured as he kissed where he could reach.

Absorbing Nines' words, Gavin nodded and looked towards him. "I hate to be a pain, but can you carry me back? There's no way my legs will be able to take my weight right now."

"Of course," Nines nodded. "I genuinely enjoy just being close to you, it's not a pain in the slightest. Let's get back to the medical wing." He stood and gently took Gavin with him, then they started going as far away from Elijah as possible.

Arriving back at the medical wing, Connor waited until Nines had got Gavin resettled in the bed before he spoke again. "Doing what you did took a lot of courage, Gavin, and I have the utmost respect for it," he said gently. "Rest assured that I will ensure Elijah will be executed in the correct fashion, but I want to clarify one last thing before I leave you two to it.  Given that you chose to spare Elijah, shall I reply to the messenger from your kingdom by saying that you have no interest in taking the throne?"

Gavin didn't even hesitate and nodded. "Yeah, tell them whatever you like: maybe even that they're wrong about me being related to Elijah. Either way, I'm staying the hell away from that throne - it's cost so many lives already and I couldn't take the burden of all the more," he replied honestly. "Can you maybe find out who sent it? I didn't think anyone would know about me, and I'm curious."

"Of course, I will see what I can do," Connor nodded. "Thank you for your help while you are still recovering. With that, I believe I should head back and make sure to keep Hank company. Good day, all of you."  He turned and left without a backwards glance towards Nines, which everyone in the room noted.

Nines felt the sting of that one, knowing that he'd really fucked up that tentative relationship they had worked out since he had come back from the front.  He really needed to apologise but he didn't know where to start; so, he pushed that to the back of his mind.  "Gavin? Are you sure you don't want to inherit the throne?" he asked instead.

Blinking, Gavin turned back to Nines and sighed.  "I thought long and hard about it, and I finally came to the conclusion that I just couldn't do it," he admitted softly. "I want to try and make a difference to others that were left like me: Nameless and abandoned, but I wouldn't be able to play all the politics. I've seen and been at the wrong end of too much, I wouldn't be able to put that all aside. 

"As much as I want to help my people somehow and try to change things...me taking Elijah's throne wouldn't be the answer for that," Gavin finished solemnly. "Does that make me a coward, choosing the easy way out?"

Nines chewed his lip before replying. "I'd be there to help you, if that made any difference? Just know that I'm very good at dealing with political bullshit when the time calls for it. I don't think it makes you a coward, I just worry for the new fragile peace if an entire kingdom is being usurped and I feel a bit responsible for it."

That made Gavin's shoulders crumple in defeat and regret, but Allen jumped in before Gavin could start doubting his decision any more. "For the record, I think that if you'd killed Elijah and taken the throne, you would be miserable there. Ruling a kingdom isn't something to be taken lightly, I've seen just how often it's almost broken Connor - and that's someone who has always prepared for it.  Jumping in with no knowledge or advice, let alone the rest of it? Nah, you're definitely doing the right thing. And there's no saying that you can't do some good from here - I really shouldn't say this, but Connor hasn't ruled out trying to seize it himself. Whether he'd find a way to do that without triggering another full on war is another thing entirely..." Allen sighed.

Nines stared at Allen with wide eyes. "Connor's thinking about seizing Cybera's throne?"

Grimacing, Allen nodded. "Yeah. He doesn't trust that whoever takes over it won't reignite things anyway, but Hank's trying to convince him out of it. I know he's worried about how everyone else would perceive it and I think Hank's right. If Connor decides to try and take Elijah's throne, that makes us a much bigger threat if he succeeds. But what we do instead is another problem entirely..."

Gavin said nothing, mulling the new information in his head. He knew that the nobles of his country wouldn't just accept Connor, they'd fight it every step of the way. It was a non-starter: which left them with even less options. 

"I mean, I can see why that would be a mess," Nines shrugged. Then he let a bitter though leave.  "Hell, we could just pretend to keep things in order until King Carl passes on and Jericho falls into the inevitable power struggle between Leo and Markus, which will make the country weak and most likely lead to Queen Warren attacking them. Nor to mention, if Leo wins, one of the first things he's going to do is invade us."

Allen scowled at Nines. "Okay, I hold as much bitterness towards Jericho as you, but that was nasty. You weren't the only one who lost something to them. An all out war would solve nothing other than to stroke your itching for a fight," he snapped a little viciously.

Nines glared at Allen. "You know I'm not wrong. This fight is never going to end unless something gives. And all things considered a hostile takeover of Kamski's kingdom may not be the worst of all the possible outcomes. We're technically still at war anyway, Elijah never signed the treaty, he refused."

Hearing their argument made ice rise through Gavin and he swallowed hard. Fuck, he'd messed up - he should have looked at the bigger picture...

Trying to shuffle along the bed, Gavin hissed through his teeth as he tried to get up.  Ignoring the warring pair, Gavin struggled back to his feet but then crumpled to a knee. Allen caught him before he hit the ground completely and Gavin tried to weakly shrug him off. "Let me go...I've got to fix this," Gavin hissed out weakly, to which Allen realised what was eating at him.

The guard fired an icy look at Nines: it wasn't his place to say anything here, but they both knew that Gavin wasn't thinking straight. It was clear as day from the glazed look in his eyes. The fire in Nines' chest was extinguished the second he noticed Gavin had collapsed. He dropped down to take a gentle hold of his fiancé. "Hey, hey. Let's not do that, okay?" he awkwardly cooed as he tried to get Gavin to calm down, all while panicking in his head - a steady stream of 'Fuck. Fuck. **Fuck,' **on repeat.

“I can stop all of that! If I-“ Gavin swallowed hard even as he was shaking. “If I take the fall instead, then at least we can stop our countries warring. If I kill Elijah and take the throne, I can just surrender. With that, it’s all over.”

Allen turned his sharp glare at Gavin instead. “Except even I know enough of the nobles in your own country to realise that they’d sooner stab you in the back themselves than give in! How is that an option?”  He turned his gaze back to Nines, and this time it was a little more frantic.  ** _Fix this_ ** , he mouthed at the prince.

Nines gathered Gavin into his arms more tightly. "Hey, let's not do anything drastic. I'm sorry my venting upset you, but none of this falls on you. Okay?"

“How the fuck does it not, Ni?! That fucker is my goddamned brother! I’m his-“ Gavin’s voice caught again. “His heir...I’m the only legal and legitimate shot of stopping a nightmare, so why shouldn’t I do this?  Maybe I can finally have a purpose beyond just being someone who creates chaos to the world around them, and do some good!” he screeched, the frustration and helplessness of so long building up and exploding in a violent mess of emotion.

The prince swallowed, unsure of how to respond. Gavin had just named almost verbatim his own reasons for living the life he was.  "You're not chaos, Gav. You're the best thing to ever happen to me," he whispered, avoiding the heir topic. He really was at a loss.  Sensing that he was intruding, Allen subtly stepped away and took his leave, looking for someone who might be able to help both of them.

Gavin dragged in a few deep breaths before muttering again. “Am I worth all the shit that’s happened though? This...this is what I do, Ni. It’s always what I’ve done, I just cause messes all around me by existing. If I can stop people dying in a senseless war...shouldn’t I?”

Nines chuckled, the sound jarring. "God, you sound like me. Is this how I sound to other people?" He ran a hand down Gavin's chin. "We'll have to see, but let's not do anything yet."  Exhausted, Gavin just nodded. 

The two of them were still on the floor when the door opened and another figure entered and knelt next to them.  Rose gave them an exasperated look. “Now, what’s this I hear from Fletcher about you two being stubborn, self-sacrificing idiots?” she asked tiredly. “Haven’t you both been through enough recently?”

"We were made for each other after all," Nines tried to smile, but he had a lot going through his brain at the moment. He didn't want Gavin to do anything stupid and self-sacrificing, but sometimes duty and the well being of others was more important.

Sighing, Rose reached out for each of them and took one of their hands. “I can’t tell you both that you should not worry about things like that, but I know that you both have a bad habit of overthinking.  Please, for the moment at least, don’t do anything drastic. It’s an emotional time for everyone, and a lot of feelings are still very raw.” She then turned to Gavin and squeezed his hand tighter.

“Gavin, you did the right thing - no matter what Elijah has done, you still took responsibility for the weight of his life. That is a mark of a gentle soul, and I like to think that it says a lot about your character after everything you have been through,” she reassured. “Revenge is often a very hollow reality.”

Nines nodded, not trusting his words. After Gavin's last outburst, he learned he had a lot of apologizing to do. Thought, first things first, he needs to get Gavin back in bed.  "She's right," Nines cooed. "Let's get some rest. My elbow is starting to hurt, so I can't imagine how you feel."  Gavin was actually so exhausted that he was on the verge of fighting to stay awake, but he didn’t show it in any way until Nines and Rose gently shepherded him back under the covers.

Once he was back in the relative comfort and warmth, Gavin slumped completely. “I may or may not have overdone it a bit...” he murmured sleepily. “How can I be so tired already? I’ve worked with more wounds than this before for days...”  Nines leaned in and gave Gavin a kiss on the cheek at hearing how exhausted the other man was, then finally he was asleep.

The prince the stood up and let out a sigh of relief, deflated as he let it out. He looked at Rose with sad eyes. "Can I have a hug?"

Rose smiled at him and brought Nines in for a hug without further prompting, holding him as he sorted through his own emotions.  “What a day...” she sighed. “You look just as exhausted as Gavin is.”

"I know, I feel like I failed him," Nines mumbled. "I'm so tired and I'm so sorry. I've been a complete ass, not just the last few days, but even well before that. I can't even put into words how sorry I am. I can't imagine what it was like for you after I ran away and you were just waiting for the news of me never coming home again. And I never even wrote." He felt a few tears prick in his eyes as he squeezed her tighter.

Squeezing him a bit more, Rose let out a long sigh - she’d been wondering for years if Nines would ever realise that there was someone waiting at home for him, wondering.  “We had updates on you, we knew if you were in good health or were poorly,” she said softly. “I often wondered about leaving you a letter, just so that you knew how many people were thinking of you, but I didn’t know if it would be appreciated. For a long time I wasn’t sure just what part of this place you were running from.”

Nines let out a small sob a few tears slipping free. "I would never run from you. Honestly, you were more family than...the queen and king," he awkwardly stumbled out. "I missed you and Dad the most... I'm still sorry I never got to say goodbye to him."

Rose smiled sadly as she went on. “The last thing he ever said was that you would someday find your way home and find happiness. It may have taken a while but...”  She pulled away and looked at Gavin sleeping in the bed. “I think he finally got his wish.”

The prince's hand went to his mouth, holding back a harsh sob. All these years and despite all of the loss he'd faced, he'd never really taken the time to mourn. He'd spent too many years running, hoping he could outlast the pain. But watching Gavin, on more than one occasion, being full willing to die for him, had finally broken the last wall he'd built around his heart.

He'd lost his brother, his royal parents, his dad, many of his friends, his innocence... and he'd lost himself.  Now, he'd found that part of himself that had bled out on the palace floor over eight years ago, all with a pair of misty green eyes. He'd found a home. 

"Mum, just know. I'm sorry and that I love you. And that I think I'm finally done running," he told her.

Rose let a few silent tears of her own fall as she held Nines tightly. “You don’t have to apologise, I don’t blame you for leaving this all behind. I love you too. I hope that you can learn to find yourself again here in the castle after all of this.”

Nines reached out and wiped away Rose's tears. "I never really hated the castle. I just hated the queen and the person I was being made into," he smiled. "I'm sure, I said this before, but I can't say it enough. I wouldn't be the person I am today without you. I just haven't given the castle a chance since everyone has been gone."

Smiling a little wobbly at Nines, Rose sniffled a bit before trying to compose herself. “Would you want to now?” she asked. “I know this place has a lot of difficult memories for you, but this could be a new start for all of us - a lot has changed.”

"I don't see why not," Nines replied softly. "You're right, a lot has changed but I haven't really given it a chance. I think this is a new time and place for a new beginning."

“For all of us, there’s a lot more change still to come.” Rose smirked at him before looking towards Gavin. “And top of my list to be ticked off is seeing you two married: you need to talk about that so I can help you to start arranging,” she beamed.

Nines laughed. "Let's get things a few things sorted out first and then you can be our main planner. Hosting a royal wedding in war time may be a bit awkward. A celebration for peace would be perfect."

“And why’s that? I see no issue with it,” Rose pointed out, but she was only half-serious. She had no problems, but a few others might.  “Let’s hope that the King has a plan then: we can’t stay in this limbo for much longer,” she sighed while looking out of the window.

"We'll see, Mum."  Nines hummed before he went on. "I really think Connor and I need to talk."

“Yes, you do, but you need to think long and hard about what you want to say. He’s still hurt from what happened between you before, so you’ll have to be braced for a somewhat frosty reception,” Rose warned him.

"I've been thinking about what I need to say for around eight years," Nines told her. "We need to finally sort out old hurt feelings and then we can work on fixing new ones."

“Then I guess you’ve just got to decide when you’re going to do it: now, or later?” Rose asked while opening the window, letting a gentle breeze enter. 

Nines sighed. "Sooner rather than later may be best." Gavin shifted in his sleep as the wind disturbed him a little, but he soon settled back down with a slightly pained look. The bandages and leather padding were not the comfiest to sleep in. Seeing Gavin's discomfort, Nines moved over to his side. "Let's get him out of this first and then I can go."

Rose held Gavin up to allow Nines to remove all the wrappings and supports, but as they got down to the last layer Rose winced - Gavin’s skin was rubbed raw around his stitched wound.  “I’ll get a salve. I wish he’d said something,” she sighed while heading out of the room to get the supplies they needed.

Nines smiled and leaned over to give Gavin a soft kiss. "You're as stubborn as me, you shithead." He pulled back and let out a small breath as he looked at the door. He decided it was now or never, because he was likely to lose his nerve if he didn't go see Connor now.

Then without another glance, lest he change his mind, he was sneaking toward Hank's room.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well? Do you all agree with Gavin's actions? 😇


	35. Heart to Heart

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys! So sorry that this chapter took so long to come out, Stu and I have had a crazy couple of months with job changes, it's been mental! We're finally back to a position that we could finish editing this chapter though, so I hope you all enjoy this one. Time for Nines and Connor to have a long overdue conversation.
> 
> **Trigger warning**: There is discussion around Nines' childhood here, where he references abuse due to emotional and physical neglect by his parents. Please be wary of that going forward.

Allen was standing outside the room and looked at Nines with a raised eyebrow as he appeared.  “Well, this is a surprise. I thought you’d still be with Gavin?” Allen asked. “Is everything okay?” he suddenly wondered, going alert again.

"He's asleep and with Rose, everything is okay," Nines answered quickly. "I just need to talk to Connor, actually."

Intrigued, Allen nodded and stepped aside. “All I’m going to say is: good luck. He’s a little stressed right now, so I’d be braced for a little bit of a snappish reaction,” Allen warned.

"Oh, fuck me. I guess," Nines mumbled as he opened the door.  Hank and Connor both turned to look at him as he appeared through the frame. "Hey."

Connor scowled at him subtly. “Nines.”  After a small pinch to the wrist from Hank, Connor visibly lightened. “What can we do for you? How is Gavin after what happened with Elijah?”

Nines deflated slightly. "He's sleeping it off." The prince then tried to smile. "Can I steal Connor for a few?"

Hank nudged Connor gently, even as the king turned to scowl at him. “Go on, take him. I can survive with Fletcher’s poor attempts at conversation for a bit,” Hank joked.

“See if I stand around and guard you two anymore then, at least Nines appreciated my terrible sense of humour,” Allen fired back, deadpan. Connor was still guarded as he stood and walked towards Nines.

“We’ll take this somewhere private,” Connor announced at large, leading the way out to the hallway to look for a quieter space.  Nines followed quietly behind Connor, silently mulling over what he was going to say for the millionth time.  Finally a few minutes later, Connor was pulling open the door to his study, gesturing for Nines to go in.

There was a tense few moments before Nines broke the silence with a simple, "I'm sorry."

Connor wasn’t quite sure what to make of it and leant against his desk, staring at Nines cautiously. “I’m going to be the cynic here and ask what for? There’s a couple of things that could relate to.”  He was being a little bit harsh, but Connor still wasn’t that keen to talk - there were a lot of other things on his mind.

Nines felt he deserved that at least a little. "A lot of things, actually." He walked over and leant on the other side of the desk. "Firstly, I'm sorry about what I said in the kitchen. It was uncouth. I still don't know about most of the things that happened while I was gone, and that was insensitive of me. I'm sorry you had to go through all that."

Eyes softening a little in remembrance, Connor sighed. “Who told you and how much of it?” he asked defeatedly.

"For who, you get one guess," Nines chuckled warmly. "As for how much, enough."

Connor nodded and sat back. “I didn’t tell you because nothing ever came of it: it didn’t matter what almost happened, and you were still adjusting after coming back. You didn’t need that on your mind, on top of everything else,” he added a little sadly.

Nines turned to look at Connor at that. "All I've ever wanted for you and Hank was for the two of you to be happy," he said as he pushed off the desk and looked towards the windows, "but a lot of my choices never reflected that I felt that way. I was always running and hiding, being incredibly selfish for a long time."

“We never thought we’d get that chance, honestly,” Connor sighed. “With our positions, we’d resigned ourselves to being torn apart when the inevitable happened and I ended up marrying someone else to have an heir - after almost losing him though, I don’t have a damn about that anymore.”  Sensing that there was something more to what Nines said, Connor looked at him curiously. “Why did you run, Nines? It’s something I’ve always wanted to ask, but I never knew if you would be willing to answer.”

The prince knew this question was coming, but he needed to know one more thing before he could. He looked at Connor with an open expression. "Why do you think I ran away? I just want to know before I delve into it."

It took Connor a few seconds to answer. "I wondered if it was a mixture of grief, fear and a smidgen of guilt. Not because you'd done anything, but because it was someone close to you that led to everything that happened. To be honest I just felt guilty living after they didn't, so it could have been that...It was clear that you never wanted to talk about it though, so I never pushed."

"That's pretty close, but the whole story is rather long," Nines nodded as he ran a hand down his face. "I was angry, I was scared, and I fucking felt like the worst person in the world."  He took a deep breath and wrapped his arms around himself. "I never fit in. The queen and sometimes the king made sure of that. 

"I was younger than most of the other princesses and princes, but that wasn't even the beginning of it. I wasn't raised by the staff with the intention of making me a passable noble. No, the queen didn't like me and therefore as long as I could remember she... she treated me rather poorly. When I was seven, give or take, Rose made a request to raise me herself. So, here I am a prince, third in line to the Arkait family line, abused by my birth parents to the point where I was better off living in a small cottage just off the castle grounds." 

Nines took a moment to compose himself. "Leo was the first royal besides you and Cecil that didn't treat me like the 'weird prince', and he used my desperation to fit in against me; and he killed my brother for it. It was the final straw. I didn't belong here, I hated it here and I needed to avenge Cecil. Not to mention suddenly I was the heir to Gardenia. I had a responsibility to the throne for the first time in my life and I didn't want it. So I ran away, damned be the consequences." He swallowed nervously as the rant died on his tongue.

Connor absorbed it all with a few seconds of silence, suddenly realising just how many years worth of hurt was lurking under the surface. He offered Nines a resigned smile.  “Our parents certainly weren’t the most loving of people, I grant you. They didn’t show either of us great love - they saved that for Cecil. I was their heir, the future of our family. I had duties and obligations: I was the heir first and their son second,” he added.  “So I understand your feelings, I really do. Being the heir is difficult - it’s part of why I offered to marry North after all,” he finished with a condescending chuckle.

The prince made a face a face at that remark. "Connor, it's never been about being your heir. I... I love this kingdom. I know its people, I know its lands. I just know that no one outside of this castle loves me back." He bit his lip nervously. "This is very hard to put into words, but guess I've always been scared that if I took being your heir too seriously that I'd lose you too. You're one of only five people that loves me for all of me, and two of those people are dead."

A sad smile came to Connor's face. “Yes, I can see how you might think that - but by the same token, Nines, we’ve never shared your story with everyone. They only know what we've told, and that is very little. Given the conflicting emotions surrounding it, I never knew what you would be comfortable with becoming public knowledge.”

Connor then stood and wandered over to the window. “And in all honesty, I still think you’ve got the better end of the deal this way round - at least you can be anonymous and vanish for a while if you want to leave being a prince behind. No matter how much I try, there is no way for me to ever hide myself in plain sight and be anyone other than ‘King Connor’. A day of just being anyone else...it sounds nice...”

Nines got up and went to the window to join his brother. He looked at Connor and thought about that sentiment for a few seconds. "I miss Cecil," he whispered sadly and heaved in a deep breath. He'd never said that aloud so honestly before. "Wouldn't it be so much better if he was still around? I think about the fact that he could have just taken your place for a few days, maybe you and Hank could have gone away for a holiday once in a while. Not to mention no-one would think I was a murderer..."

He looked at Connor and smiled brokenly. "He really was the glue that kept us together. When he died we fell apart and he wouldn't have wanted that, Con. We need to deal with our pasts to plan our future. It is time for a new beginning. I'm getting married for fuck's sake. Isn't that a concept? I want to be here for you and I want to be a family again."

Looking at Nines in surprise, Connor’s eyes softened. “We’re both getting married, it’s strange how things work out like that. If you are happy to stay, then I’d be delighted for you to remain. I’d honestly resigned myself to you and Gavin vanishing.”

"Yeah, I mean. I still have to talk to Gavin about his recov-" Nines froze and turned to Connor, closing the distance between them and grabbing his shoulders. "Say that again. I didn't hear you correctly."

“What?” Connor asked in confusion. “Say what bit again? That I’d been resigned to you two vanishing?”

"No, the other part. You twit!" Nines snarked. "You're really getting married?"

“Oh!” Connor laughed. “Yeah, after Hank woke up we had a talk about everything and we finally admitted that we’d both wanted to marry the other for a long time, but knew I should prioritise continuing our family line.  After all this debacle with Elijah though, I realised that I don’t want to sacrifice everything: I want to keep something for myself. That’s going to be Hank,” he finished with a soft smile.

Nines beamed and closed the distance to give Connor a crushing hug, even lifting him off the ground a bit. "It's about fucking time. I'm so happy to hear that."

Laughing, Connor hugged Nines back and smiled broadly. “Thank you,” he said sincerely. “We haven’t talked about it much yet, but I doubt our wedding will happen before yours. There’s a lot to be negotiated yet with the political situation before we can arrange that. Hank floated the idea of us just vanishing for a couple of days and getting married during that, but I doubt anyone would believe it.  Plus, we kind of need to announce that we’re a couple. That’s problem number one,” he said while scratching his neck awkwardly.

The prince let out a chuckle. "Well, everyone in the castle already knows," he smiled. "I don't mind you having a grand wedding first. Hell, based on how Gavin talks about it, that may be best. Rose may kill me, but that's fine."

“I’ll promise Rose that she can have anything within reason for yours, that might save me her ire,” Connor smiled and then thought of something.  “Wait, everyone knows?”

Nines gave Connor a flat stare. "Yes, everyone knows, Connor. You and Hank have been together for well over a decade. The news gets around." He kept his tone light and teasing.

Connor blushed. “And there we thought we were being subtle...” He sighed and looked at Nines nervously. “Do you think there will be strong objections? There are a few...eccentricities to us being a couple.”

"Who's going to stop you if they do? You're the fucking king Connor," Nines supplied, "but no. Far as I know, everyone is just as supportive of you two as I am."

“I may be the King, but that doesn’t mean I don’t have to answer to my people for my decisions,” Connor pointed out.  “I can’t just do whatever I want with no consequences. But maybe they’ll forgive me for being selfish here,” he smiled. “At least the kingdom knows Hank and knows that he is trustworthy. I think that’s what we need more than anything right now: stability and familiarity.”

"I think Hank will make a great consort to you on the the throne," Nines beamed, "and I'm sure the people will agree."

“Thank you.” Connor smiled at Nines before hugging him again. “We should have done this a long time ago.”

Nines returned the hug tightly. "That's what I've been telling you all these years," he teased.

Connor pulled back to raise an eyebrow at Nines. “Don’t pretend that this is all my fault, Nines. We’re both as bad as each other.”

"Yeah, you're both stubborn as hell," Nines mused. "Hank, may actually be worse than you all things considered."

Rolling his eyes, Connor then gave Nines a slightly tighter smile. “I guess the other thing we need to discuss is how to move forward in dealing with Elijah. How was Gavin after facing him earlier?”

Nines stiffened at the mention of earlier. "He's sleeping it off. I don't think Gavin is up for ruling a court that physically and mentally abused him for years."

“I wouldn’t be either; I’ve seen enough from Elijah’s journal to have a fair idea of what he went through,” Connor shivered.  “I honestly have no idea quite how Gavin resisted the urge to kill Elijah. From what little I’ve gleaned, it would have certainly been justified in my mind.”

The prince looked down in thought. "Gavin's too good a man. I don't think he could kill anyone, if he couldn't kill Elijah. But, what can I say? I spared Elijah and I've killed plenty. Looking back, I wished I left him for dead in the guest chambers. Would have saved us a lot of trouble." He looked up and then shrugged. "But, I think a few good things came out of this."

“That they did,” Connor chuckled briefly before looking away again. “What do you think I should do? You know more about the cost of war than me. Would it be worth it?”

"I'm going to be completely honest with you," Nines started. "There's not a lot of good ways for this to turn out. There's going to be war with Elijah's kingdom whether we kill him or not. I think we should absolutely have him executed because of what he did, and since Gavin and I aren't looking at taking over there will be a few months of political turmoil before they turn their forces on us."  Nines sighed slightly in regret. "I know you wanted the war to end here, but I just don't think that's possible anymore. I don't think it ever was."

Connor moved to the window and stared out of it as he contemplated his options. “I know a war might be inevitable, but that doesn’t mean I don’t want to try diplomacy still,” he eventually said. “I might ask Gavin if he knew of anyone in Elijah’s court who might be amenable to peace, see if we can stir interest within the country.  “As for Elijah... There’s no need for a show trial, the damage he has inflicted on others and the castle is evidence enough. He’ll be executed soon. I guess all we need to debate is the how and when.”

"That depends on what you think the people would want out of this," Nines informed him, "but regardless, we have to do it publicly. With a declaration of our crimes and with me in the shadows, it wouldn't do well for me to be there."

“Nines, many of his crimes are against you and Gavin; not to mention that having us together would be a massive show of solidarity,” Connor argued softly.  “I know you aren’t one for the public view, but I think you should still be visible. Not right at my side if you don’t want to be, but you should be there in some capacity.”

"I mean, I feel like that it is fair that I don't want my first public appearance in  _ years _ to be an execution," Nines replied, "but I will be there."

Smiling grimly, Connor put a hand on Nines’ shoulder. “Believe me, I wish it weren’t that either. Unless...” his eyes lit up slightly. “We could announce your engagement to Gavin before that? I believe that might be a more fitting way to re-enter the public light.”

Nines grinned. "That was actually the idea Gavin and I had been tossing around." He let out a sigh that only someone who was hopelessly in love could manifest. "We actually already had a crown picked out for the occasion."

“Oh?” Connor asked in amusement. “Well, if that’s the case, we have a lot to organise. I’ll get a tailor sorted so that we can have Gavin fitted into royal garments and the starting of a new wardrobe for him. I’ll also have to see about someone to educate him on our laws - it doesn’t have to be that many, just the major ones for now.  This is going to be a busy few days...”

"Woah, slow down. He's still pretty much on bed rest." Nines didn't want all that completely overwhelming Gavin. "I know he has to be introduced soon but for the love of God, please don't send Amanda to teach the laws. She'll rip him a new one."

“I’m not going to inflict any of that on him until he’s feeling better, that list was for my own benefit as I get everything arranged,” Connor smiled.  “I might arrange a session with Amanda once he’s more aware of our laws, but I was actually thinking of Fletcher. While it’s not recognised officially, he’s very clued up on many of our lesser laws.  In fact, I think he could almost rival Amanda, we should test that out one day,” he added with a wicked glint in his eye.

Nines let out a sigh of relief. "That sounds like a mess and I really would like my head guard to not get his ass poisoned. O h, and for Gavin's outfit, you know my maroon crown, correct? Have the staff match something to that."

“All right, I’ll get started on that.” Connor looked at Nines softly and smiled.  “Thank you for coming to talk. It’s...it was good to let it all out - this should have happened years ago, but I guess neither of us were ready until now.”

"Me too," Nines chuckled. "Also you are mistaken if you believe I was ready for this conversation. Frankly, I was terrified, but I'm so happy it turned out well."

“That makes two of us then,” Connor said awkwardly. “Come on, I guess we’ve got fiancés to be getting back to. Unless you wanted to talk about something else?”

Nines hummed and did a mental check on his list, then shook his head when he came up empty. "I think that about covers it, actually." He smiled at Connor warmly as something else came to mind. "Except I think I owe you some pancakes sometime in the future."

“We’ll keep that for when everything calms down, I’m going to be rather busy for the next week. Make that a celebration involving Hank and Gavin when they feel a little better?” Connor suggested with a smile.

"That actually sounds really nice," Nines agreed. He looked towards the door. "Well, Con, ready to head back to the medical wing?"

“Let’s. I’m sure Hank is wondering whether one of us had killed the other or not,” he laughed while opening the door for Nines.

"Eh, Hank's worried about  _ you,"  _ Nines teased. "You don't stand a chance against me in combat."  He laughed as Connor made a face, then he stuck out his tongue and started quickly down the hallway.

“Well I’d hope that you would be better in combat seeing as you’ve fought in a war. If I were the more skilled one, we’d have an issue,” Connor pointed out snarkily.  As they made it back to Hank’s room, Connor gave Nines a friendly squeeze on the shoulder. “Look after Gavin and I’ll speak to you again once I’ve got a few more things arranged. And try to not get yourself any more injured...”

"Just because you said that, I'm going to end up tripping down the stairs," Nines jibed. "And I've got Gavin. I'll see you soon." With a final wave Nines was turning towards Gavin's room.

Rose was just exiting the room as Nines approached and she gave him a smile.  “Gavin’s still asleep, bless him, I think today completely wiped him. I was just heading off to ask if Luther would make something for when he wakes. How did you get on with King Connor?” she asked softly.

Nines smiled. "We had a good talk. I think we needed to get a few things off our chests." He pushed the door open and glanced at the still sleeping Gavin, then spun back to Rose. "Bring me something to eat too? Please?"

Raising an eyebrow at Nines, she smirked. “Is that a bring you some proper food, or some junk food? That tone of voice was kind of in-between.”

The prince chuckled. "Honestly? Surprise me. I'm not picky, you know that."

“Mhmmm, sure. You know that’s a dangerous offer,” she winked.  “Go on, go curl up with your future husband, I’ll be back soon,” Rose encouraged with a smile before heading towards the kitchens.  Nines shook his head fondly as he turned back and closed the door behind him. 

He promptly walked over to where Gavin was sleeping and climbed into bed, curling up next to his fiancé. "Things will work out I promise," he mused as he kissed the top of Gavin's head.


End file.
